The Story in the Stone
by cocoshabang
Summary: November 23rd 2941 T.A. Battle of the Armies had taken place causing devastation among men, elves and dwarfs alike. Tauriel sets out to find Kili only to be told he has not survived. Kili wakes up to be told the same thing. 60 years later A half-breed elf named Eliel sets out to find out about her parents. Everyone Survives AU.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there! Just a quick little chat. I based this story around the official Tolkien timeline of the Third Age, which was Gandalf spent 17 years coming to and from Bag End after Bilbo's 111th birthday. Also the War of The Ring was 77 years after Bilbo returned home from Erebor.

Calender:

Narwain - January

Ninui - February

Gwaeron - March

Gwirith - April

Lothron - May

Norui - June

Cerveth - July

Urui - August

Ivanneth - September

Narbeleth - October

Hithui - November

Girithron - December

Also big Kiliel shipper so this definitely not what happened, just me trying to mend my broken heart after the Battle of the Five Armies.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Lord of the Ring or the Hobbit and anything regarding that is based around this story. All I own is my OC and view that Kiliel will never die.

Thanks xxx

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><p>Chapter I<p>

Hithui 23rd 2941

Victory for the Dwarves, Elves and Men was nothing compared to the biggest loss of them all.

Death.

That's all Tauriel could sense in the icy Rhovanion air. She was looking at all her elven brothers and sisters who lay stiffly upon ground, the elf wondered if Legolas and Thranduil knew exactly how many lifeless elves were out here. As she continued her tears persisted and they started to cloud her vision and her mind. The elf was confused at how quickly this all happened, one moment they were on the shore with the villagers from Lake Town just after the Bard defeated Smaug. Tauriel suddenly realized that she wasn't thinking of the elves anymore rather a certain dwarf whose promise was still in her surcoat pocket.

Kili consumed her thoughts. Where could he be? Could he have died from defending his uncle from those orcs? She got lost in negative thoughts as she walked around where the sound of slaughter was hushed.

She started to lose hope, weak from her wounds, she continued on until she knew whether he was alive or not. Her heart ached, she wanted rid of this feeling. All Tauriel wanted was to find out the truth, then go to sleep for a few decades but she knew she wouldn't be true to herself if she hid away.

Up ahead she could see some dwarfs that looked familiar. One was that healer from the bards' house and that other who had found the Athelas, before she knew she had broken out into a run and had reached where the dwarves are.

One of the dwarfs, hearing Tauriel's footsteps, turned around while the other continued healing "Lass what are you doing here?" Said the dwarf with the ridiculous looking hat.

For once Tauriel was speechless, what was she doing here? She could barely form words when he spoke again.

"Were you looking for someone?" He asked that knowing the exact answer to that

Tauriel replied in a quiet unsure voice "The princes, are they alive?" The dwarf turned and looked at the other then back at the elf.

"We found them at dawn"

She suspected as much. It was like someone ripped her heart out with bare hands and pushed her down and to act as if nothing had happened. She turned and started to walk away when it finally settled in that the line of Durin, specifically the youngest had died. She fell into the mud clutching both her chest and stomach, Tauriel had lost the will to live. Was it real enough for her to feel as if she won't remain living without him?

"Lass are you okay?" Not understanding what was happening, he turned to another dwarf healer "Pym quickly find an elf healer, I saw one over by the west hurry up" He turned back to Tauriel making sure she was still alive.

The elf was getting weaker every second, Tauriel's' naturally instinct was to make sure she didn't drift into darkness. With the hat wearing dwarf supporting her back she couldn't hang on any longer, she let herself go into the darkness hoping that she could wake up but wishing she could just see him and her elven kin one last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II.

Girithron 4th 2941

Thorin was grateful that the dwarven healers finally relived him of his three day bed rest, as king he needed to make sure everyone was healing well and there were no problems among the dwarves. The most he has been worrying about was the state of his two nephews who were badly wounded defending him and for that he felt responsible. 11 days of guilt were starting to overcome the dwarf king when on the 11th day, he was pacing in his room when suddenly Balin had approached his room rather rushed and uncharacteristic, his only wish was that his nephews have not seen Mahal.

"Fili is awake my king, it is believed that Kili will not be far off" The grey haired dwarf said. Thorin smiled and hugged Balin with thanks and relief, and then started to walk towards the prince's wing at the end of the hall.

When they had arrived Fili was sitting up in bed with medical dressings over his shoulder and half his torso, being forced to eat the broth in front of him. "I told you I wasn't hungry, I just woke up and need to go to the bathroom" Whined Fili "All due respect Prince Fili, I'm the healer and I know what's best so eat the broth and shut up" Argued back the gruff healer who was obviously too old to be bothered by what was more comfortable for the young prince and walked out. "I can't wait until the female healers get here" mumbled Fili loud enough for Thorin to give him a disapproving look.

"Fili, it's good to see you awake" Thorin said as he sat by the bed.

"Uncle good to see you to, and to you Balin."

"Good to see you as well young Fili. Sorry to leave in a rush but it seems I have some business to discuss with Dwalin and Dain, Hope to see you both recovered in time" and with that the old dwarf made his way out of the wing.

They sat and talked about what needed to be done next for the kingdom. Neither of them knew how much time passed before the Kili began to stir, the healer had return and started the same rough techniques he had used with Fili. He had awoken and couldn't help but smile when he saw his brother and uncle staring back at him.

"I would get up and hug you but it seems I've been exiled to this bed" joked Kili at the expense of the impatient healer, Fili chuckled at him thinking how he would have missed his humour if something worse happened.

"I hope you are feeling well Kili, but I'm afraid we must discuss some things." Both Fili and Kili were listening intently while trying to down the remedial broth. "Nephews, I have sent word to your mother and the dwarves of the Blue Mountains, and cousin Dain has sent word to the dwarves of the Iron Hills. They should arrive in a month or two to help restore the Erebor to its former glory" the princes were ecstatic that they will be able to see their mother and kin as well as seeing Erebor restored.

"Another thing as well, Kili" He turned and faced the youngest dwarf. "Bofur came to me when I recovered, regarding a certain elf captain"

That's when Kili finally thought of Tauriel, that beautiful she-elf that saved his life and gave him the most passionate night his ever did experience. Kili felt his heart pound against his chest when he remembered the unheard of actions that went on between the recovered dwarf and the Captain of the Elven Guard.

"She was on the field hours after the battle, when she recognized Bofur. The elf approached Bofur and then suddenly collapsed to the ground in terrible pain as Bofur put it. They got an elven healer but it was too late. I've been told that she was the one who saved your life in Lake Town and for that we will be grateful. Silence filled the air as Thorin looked between his sisters' sons.

Kili's smile fell, he couldn't believe what he was just told. It was not meant to be this way if anything Kili should have died and let her live her life. Mahal knows she deserves it after saving his life.

"Do not lie to me uncle" Kili hissed.

"I do not lie Kili, you both know that more than anyone" Thorin said sternly, by now he was standing up looking over Kili. "I did not know that this elf meant something to you, I told you because Bofur insisted" nothing else filled the room other than Thorin's mighty but careful voice. "I can tell I have upset you, so for now I will leave. I'm sure you will have plenty of visitors soon, I am sorry about the elf"

"Her name was Tauriel" Kili bellowed and Thorin looked apologetic towards his nephew then thought it wise to leave the brothers be.

"Her name was Tauriel" Kili murmured again in past tense. Silence filled the air "Brother" Fili whispered and with that Kili broke down in tears wishing he never had woken up.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter III.

Girithron 23rd 2941 T.A

Tauriel had awoken, she wasn't certain how long she asleep for or how she got into this foreign bed but one thing she knew was that her body felt as if she had been trampled. She looked around what looked like a cottage, a slightly abandoned one at that. It was one made out of cold grey quarried stone with a hearth in the corner, which smelt like vegetables and some kind of meat, and also a bookshelf with 3 books and two bags of belongings underneath the window. The elf tried to get out of bed when suddenly a sharp pain shot through her lower back and up into her neck, she cried out in pain as she lost her strength. Suddenly the wooden door swung open and Legolas walked in followed by a young golden haired girl and an older woman which Tauriel assumed her mother or maybe her grandmother.

"Tauriel" Legolas spoke calmer than his usual icy tone "Are you alright?"

"What, what has happened" Tauriel replied dazed, recovering from her pain. She watched as the older woman walked over the hearth and stir the contents of the pot. The younger girl no older than ten stood watched as Legolas sit by Tauriel's bed.

"This woman is Rayya and her granddaughter Sonir, villagers from Lake Town. They decided to get as far away from Erebor as possible, regardless of the safety at Dale." Rayya walked over to the bed and spoke. "The young prince saved us from some leftover orcs that were making their way back to a stronghold and in return I said I could heal you as I've experienced healing elves." She walked backed and poured a bowl of the stew and served it to the youngling.

Tauriel decided to make this conversation a bit more personal without two strangers listening. "Why couldn't the elves back home help me? Legolas Why didn't you take me home?" She spoke in fluent Sindarin. Tauriel was puzzled, her memory was fragmented. Legolas stared at her with his grey unemotional eyes, unaware of how to put this.

"There is no home for us anymore, Thranduil banished you Tauriel and I refused to go back without you, we've been here for the time being" Tauriel did not comprehend why Legolas would even consider living with humans for however long, it was completely out of his nature.

Suddenly everything fell into place, why she was banished and why she was in a vast amount of physical and emotional pain and why she needed to be healed. Kili.

"Is she going to be okay?" Sonir's question broke Tauriel out of her miserable trance. Tauriel looked back at the girl and expressed that she was going to be in good health over time. "How long have I been asleep?" She asked Legolas who was looking at her with worry. "A month, you were in a very poor state Tauriel and I hope to see you recovered in time"

Tauriel looked out the small window from where she was sitting up in the bed. She could see was a forestry of tall brown trees with the sunlight peering through the bare branches, winter had obviously settled in. She wanted out of the rigid bed and to feel the cold dew-covered grass under her naked feet again. Something she did not do very often but enjoyed those early morning patrols where the darkness faded and the rosy glow of the new day would appear. But it was nothing compared to the darkness of night freckled with starlight that always over powered the light of the moon.

Tauriel tried to get out of the bed again this time knowing what movements will cause her pain. "I think it's best for you in stay in bed dear" Rayya assured the elf.

"I'll be fine, I just need some air" Tauriel replied in English, taking off the quilts that she was buried under. "Tauriel. Wait." Legolas spoke quite abruptly as he took a gentle hold of her bandaged wrist, she let him help her out of the bed but brushed his grasp off as she felt she was capable of walking to the door.

Her pale hand pulled on the rusted door handle and an icy sensation danced lightly on her skin as the brisk air lingered in the doorway. She felt all three sets of eyes on her as she took a few steps away from the cottage. Tauriel looked around and noticed the home was settled in some kind of glade or clearing, the surrounding trees were tightly interwoven and the scent of earth and ice drifted through the air. All this serenity she could not help but feel grief run through her veins, if this was love she did not want it. Tauriel wanted someone to take away this pain.

She felt a presence behind her. "Why didn't you just leave me to die? Why did you stay with these humans for so long?"

"Tauriel, you are with child." He simply responded.

Tauriel did not know what was worse, having a child grow up fatherless or having a child whose father was a dwarf.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV.

Ivanneth 13th 2942 T.A

Deep in the halls of Erebor, was the rowdiness and shenanigans of dwarves. The loud music and the yelling were nothing but tradition, finally celebrating the restoration of the Lonely Mountain. The extended tables were lined with everything that could be imagined, whole roasted cow, pigs and goats turning on spits. Countless cheeses, breads, sweets and lets not forgot the waterfalls of wine and ale that were getting devoured by the flaming spirit of the dwarves.

Boisterous laughter from both the men and women echoed through the populated halls. Thorin's heavy voice broke the wild conversations that were among his family and the families of the company "Listen up lads and lasses" he added that last bit after receiving a glare from his younger sister Dis. "I would like to give thanks to everyone who made this feast possible and helped with the renewal of our beautiful home. I give a welcome to the Lord of Dale and his family" A united cheer was given.

"Also we kindly give our best wishes to the courting of Fili and the lovely Sigrid. We hope our families and races can come together as one" An even bigger cheer erupted after the announcement of the upcoming ceremony between the human and the dwarf prince. Thorin had eased up to the idea of mixed-race loves, the unfortunate thing was that all it took was his youngest nephew losing his beloved. He realized that it was not who one loves but love itself and how treacherous it can be.

Thorin finished his speech with more words of thanks and gratitude, while Fili was certain that his back was now bruised from the congratulatory whacks he received. The feast continued all through the night slowly dwarves bid goodnight to their loved ones and trying to get some sleep before it was dawn in a couple of hours. Kili had somehow found a leftover bottle of Gloins rum, well at least he thought it was ale and started to roam the halls. He was trying to avoid sleep no doubt about it. Every time he slept his dreams would take him to a forest clearing where she would be already waiting for him. Sitting on a rock with her long red hair touching the soft grass and the large fire moon above her surrounded by tiny bright specks.

Every night it started the same she would be looking down and singing to whoever was listening.

'_Moonlight, above us_

_Show me _

_A shining star_

_My child will be born_

_And I need someone to care for my' _

She would stop and look at Kili "Where have you been tonight?" Tauriel usually asked with the biggest smile on her face obviously pleased that he had arrived. Kili would always sit next to her and tell him of his day and what had happened. The beauty would get up walked towards the dark trees and whisper those words he always dreaded "Return to me." And then she would disappear in the nightfall.

"Tauriel, I miss you like stars miss the sun in the morning sky"

Fili found his brother walking up and down the golden floor and decided to join him. Kili noticed his brother walking towards him and immediately felt guilty that he had worried his brother enough for him to leave his betrothed in the middle of the night. "Fili, what are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing Kili? You should get some sleep." Fili retorted stealing the so called ale and taking a swig, clearly being too strong for his standard of alcohol. "How the bloody hell does Gloin and Dwalin drink this straight?" amusing his brother.

"I'm asking myself the same question" Kili laughed back pulling the exact same face his brother did. "Sorry for getting you out of bed, I just cannot sleep knowing she is there waiting for me then waking up to realize it's just a dream" Fili was certain that it was the rum that was making him speak up about the she-elf, he hardly spoke about it at all.

Fili understood completely, his brother was the first one he told about Sigrid. Kili was the happiest for his brother out of everyone, he did not harvest any negative feelings towards those who found love. Just angry with himself that he could not have that life with Tauriel.

"As much as you wanted a new life with her, I believe that Tauriel would have wanted you to feel content with your new life here surrounded by your family." Fili tried to think of the most comforting words but somehow didn't quite find the words his brother was looking for. Kili gave him a reassuring smile "Thank you Fili. You know I'm quite looking forward to your wedding, drinks all around, except this god awful stuff." He kidded, completely changing the mood and the subject.

"I totally agree" Fili said decisively before taking another swig and winced. Kili sniggered at his reaction. "You think this is funny" he grinned back finally hearing a laugh he had not heard in quite some time.

"I'm sorry that you drink like a woman, brother" Kili was still somehow laughing which surprised him a lot. Fili joined in and the brothers continued down the golden path joking about the mischiefs at dinner and wondering how tolerable everyone will be tomorrow after the big night that had just passed.

After some silence as they made their way back towards their rooms, Kili broke it with words that deeply sadden Fili. "I feel like I am waiting for something that will never happen. For the short amount of time I knew her, I did feel something for her." He smiled downheartedly and hugged Fili "Thanks again brother" Fili hugged him back but was completely lost as to why his younger brother thanked him. With that both brothers said goodnight and went to bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter V

Ivanneth 18th 2942 T.A

Tauriel had heard stories of how agonizing child birth can really be, but nothing could have prepared her for the 7 hours and counting of hard labor. She had never given birth to a child let alone a child with dwarf genetics, she was completely blind sighted. Above all this pain Legolas was not there to support her, all she had was the old woman Rayya, who she was certain barely knew anything about childbirth. Legolas had travelled to Rivendell to speak business regarding the housing of Tauriel and her newborn, he left seven nights ago assuring Tauriel that he would arrive before the child. But nobody could predict that the she-elf would have the baby two months earlier than the traditional year of elvish childbearing, she immediately knew that the impulsive contractions was due to the father unfamiliar genetics.

Tauriel whimpered as the pain started to get to unbearable for her, she tried to direct her mind to other thoughts and replayed the evening when Sonir started to ask questions to her about the infant and the father.

Tauriel was sitting just outside the cottage, three months prior, watching the familiar woods take an ominous form with nightfall. When the young girl approached her with a basket of herbs and woodland flowers, her grandmother was teaching the youngling her apothecary knowledge and her task every day was to find a new plant and learn its abilities. "Hello Tauriel." She beamed at her.

"Good evening Laineth" She replied smiling. The young girl immediately looked confused, by now she was used to hearing the elvish language but when it was aimed at her she acted as if it was the first time hearing it. "It means free one" Tauriel explained as she saw the look.

"Oh. That's a pretty name, I wonder if I can change my name to that?" Sonir questioned "What are you going to name your baby?" she continued. The elf was taken aback, she never really thought about it. She pondered for a moment before answering the question. "If it is a girl I would give her a sweet but strong name like Eliel. Daughter of Star. If it's a boy, I would give him a name like his father's something resilient and full of pride. Rinon meaning remembrance. " Sonir listened keenly before responding.

"Did he die? The father I mean."

"Yes he did." Tauriel was hesitant about talking about Kili, but she decided it would be for the best. No other elf would understand, its better a ten year old human girl than disapproving elves. "His name was Kili. He was very brave, strong too and put his family before anyone. I met him when his group passed through Mirkwood, I saved him in Lake Town right before it was destroyed. He died defending his uncle in the battle, he wasn't the only person I lost, and many elves I knew had died." She had ended the story before it became too much for her to endure again.

"I lost my brother. Angus died in the fire as we were trying to get out of the house. It was just him and I living with Rayya when that dragon attacked" Sonir understood the pain of the elf and Tauriel knew she did the right thing telling her story to the adolescent.

A sudden sharp ache brought Tauriel out of her thoughts. The child was ready to be born, this caused her to panic and she wasn't ready to be a mother to what other would call an abomination. Tauriel, herself, did not know what to think of the child. Legolas disapproved but supported her because of what she meant to him.

From what Rayya had noticed over the months was that Tauriel was not adoring that fact of the baby growing inside her. Maybe it was because of the unemotional exterior of an elves personality or because of the loss of love, either way she thought that Tauriel would never love the child. As the agony increased, Tauriel's body could not tolerate such high amount. She felt weak a few hours ago but it was nothing compare to how the elf was feeling now, her head was incredibly light and her body was deteriorating with each minute. She could have seen darkness at any moment but was determined to rid the source of the pain, a few moments later she felt her muscles loosen up slightly and that when she knew she could let herself go.

Tauriel had given birth to a tiny girl, her cries were normal but at the same time graceful. Rayya quickly fussed over the small one and passed it to Sonir while she paid her attention to Tauriel who was unconscious. Both were alive, the elf was just used up and was weak from what she had undergone. As soon as Rayya made sure the mother was in good health she focused on the infant, she noticed the thin brown hair and the petite body frame. The old woman was conflicted when she saw that it did not look like an elf youngling, she knew the father wasn't an elf but she surely did not expect the child to look similar to dwarf infants when they are born.

She took the infant out of Sonir's arms after she had been fed and told her granddaughter to look after Tauriel if she should wake up before Rayya would return. She prepared the newborn in a sling and grabbed the necessities as well as the stone that had meaning to the elf and walked out the door. The autumn sun was almost ready to disappear and nightfall was not far off, Rayya ran the best she could to a safe place she discovered while searching for new apothecary ingredients. She came to a hollow tree and placed the baby in the damp inside, she made sure it was comfortable and that it was hidden out of sight. "Stay silent little one, it shall not be long. I will be back." she whispered then disappeared back to the cottage.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys, thanks so much for the positivity! Another thing I do appreciate is constructive criticism but if all you do is criticize please leave. I am no author just a girl with a lot of imagination and OTP's.

Sorry this chapter is so short, I have completed many chapter's and I wanted to be ahead so every time I finish a chapter I have some ready to be posted!

Thanks again loves xxx

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><p>Chapter VI<p>

Narabeleth 2nd 2942 T.A

Tauriel and Legolas had finally reached Rivendell. After staying in one place for almost a year she was not used to long trips even if it was just a seven day journey. She had recovered physically, exceedingly fast after childbirth and left two weeks after to Rivendell with Legolas where she decided she wanted to live her life sometime before sailing west. They said goodbye to Rayya and Sonir, who decided to head south to Gondor, they also gave deep gratitude and praise to the women and wished their lives well.

Tauriel was deeply scarred emotionally about what had occurred in the past year, she was certain that she was not going to get through the pain. The whole trip to Rivendell was full of silent questions and expectations of what her life will be like from this point on.

When she arrived she had been greeted by several elves who honored her role as Captain of the Mirkwood Guard. Her room was elegant, much better than where she had occupied herself in the past year. Spacious enough for Tauriel, the white and gold trimmed exposed room had within it a large white bed and to the left was a balcony that revealed the intricacy of the moorlands. When the elf was getting settled she had noticed that she had not seen nor felt Kili's stone for quite some time. She searched all through her belongings three times over and finally acknowledge that it was gone. Legolas had come to see how Tauriel was settling in, his hope was that she could live her life somewhat peaceful now.

"Tauriel, the saddest truth is realizing you have falling in love with what can never be. We mature from the damage not from the metaphorical years." He spoke after he saw how distressed she was again. "No matter the amount of advice you give me Legolas, I will always do what my heart tells me." She looked at him with integrity.

"Believe in the person you were and the woman you want to become." Legolas spoke with optimism. "Recover in your own time, I will not rush you anymore. I will be in the west wing"

"Farewell my friend" Tauriel bid goodbye to Legolas and walked through the mason columns that led towards a small chamber with a spiral staircase. Just walked up the flight of stairs until she reached an opened area that overlooked Rivendell. In this rare moment she was content and wondered what was waiting for her in the future.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter VII

60 years later.

Gwirith 04th 3002 T.A

16 years before the War of the Ring.

There was commotion down by the eastern docks of Pelargir, the great port of Gondor. A young girl was seen being chased by two large dock workers who were shouting profanities and accusing her of stealing priceless jewels that had recent sailed in especially to be sent to the Capital.

Eliel dashed madly over the docks, her petite frame made it easier to be nimble over the water-logged boardwalk. She took a quick turn into an alley that led to the main marketplace where she hoped she could blend in with the hordes of customers and merchants alike. She knew she was still being pursued and ironically thanked her height this one time for keeping her hidden. "Someone catch that thief, quickly" yelled the larger man. She knew that there was no guarantee she'd survive if she got caught but she could not help herself. The girl was drawn to the jewels like it was in her nature, lured to the mystical serpent green, pomegranate and water-blue colours that just so happened to be worth a lot.

She sprinted as swiftly as she could towards the northern villas where her mother had an apothecary shop, but first she would have to lose the furious trail. She made a sharp turn around the textile stall hoping to lose them but instead she lost the hood and her long brunette hair had fallen out and was now another identifier. Curiosity got the better of her and she glanced over her shoulder and instantly regretted it, they were right behind her and not to mention the nine guards that had also joined the pursuit at some time.

Eliel forgot how long she had been running, she maneuvered her through the crowd. Luckily she was short enough to evade the notice of her hunters. She wasn't that undersized just small for being part elf, that's just what her mother tells her. She started a slow pace now and was convinced that the trail of her disappeared in the spring breeze, Eliel walked back to '_The Apothecary's Satchel_' a shop her mother owned since her family moved to Pelargir.

"Now what could have you gotten into that has made you look worn out and drenched in sweat?" Sonir asked her daughter? The old woman was not the same as she used to be, 59 years can do an awful lot. Golden hair replaced with white and her childlike skin was overrun with blemishes and creases but she was as young as heart as girl who looked like she was barely 19 summers.

"Nothing at all mother." Sonir was doubtful of Eliel but it was always her best interest to let the girl do whatever she wanted. The woman looked at the 59 year old girl and wished she could be a half-breed elf, her skin as youthful as ever the healthiest brown hair you ever did see. Sonir remembered what the elf mother looked like and it seems that all she got from her was her hair length, slender frame and piercing green eyes, the rest must have been her father whoever he was.

"Well did you return what I asked for?" Eliel froze. The main reason she was down at the docks this morning was to collect a fungal pod that was commonly found in resistant brews and could sometimes be used as a healing plants. "I will take that look as a no shall I?" Stared into the apologetic deeps pools of moss that was her daughter's eyes.

"I am sorry mother. Would you like me to return?" before Sonir could answer there was a loud knock on the door. Eliel quickly slid the pouch of jewels up her sleeve and answered the door. Stood before her was two Gondor Guards with weapons at the ready.

"Eliel Nirn?" One of the men spoke.

"And to whom do I owe the pleasure?" She replied sarcastically with the most mischievous grin. "Eliel, Behave." Sonir then staggered towards Guards "Now what may I ask are you here for?"

"A thief was last seen heading this way with something quiet valuable, and many traders say that the half-breed Eliel here seemed quite in a rush"

"Are you accusing me of something or was that a statement of prejudiced?" Eliel asked politely "It was neither, just doing our job Miss." the arrogant companion added. "I think it would be best if you left my shop. Good day." Sonir shut the door rather hastily. "What have you done now?"

"I did not do anything. They just needed something to blame" Eliel argued back "What did you steal?" Sonir persisted.

"I did not steal anything, you are just jumping to assumptions again"

"It is not my fault my daughter is a petty criminal" this sent the young half breed over the edge. She might look sweet and graceful but her temper and stubbornness was as short, as well a dwarf.

"I am not a petty criminal, I know the difference between right and wrong and I am not going to stand here any longer to listen to these accusations " Eliel grabbed her hood and bow then continued outside. She knew she was a liar and petty criminal but she was doing it for the good, she was planning to trade them in for gold or use them to get necessary items. Who was she to judge the half-bred? Sonir wasn't even her birth mother. 'But she raised you when your own mother did not want you.' A reasonable voice in her head spoke.

Eliel's thought travelled along with her feet, going from thoughts of her mother and her father. Who they were, how they fell in love, if they were even in love and why they did not want her. Maybe Eliel was a bastard as well as abomination. With that thought she needed to let off these negative feelings clouding her mind, she took her bow and made her way to the stables just outside the harbor.


	8. Chapter 8

Okay so people seem about confused about what has happened so far. Tauriel did not abandoned the child, Rayya took it away because she believe Tauriel would not love her. Sorry for my lack of explanation in the words but it will get explained in later chapters! Thank you all for being kind and patient.

Kiliel forever xxxxxx

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><p>Chapter VIII<p>

Gwirith 04th 3002 T.A

Eliel sat in the developing shade, with her bow beside her and a very punctured target up ahead, looking at the jewels in her hand. A fair markswoman she was, never missing a single target. She did not have any reason to be skilled in archery, she was never in life threating situations before. But one day she was walking the upper marketplace where she came across a Fletcher's store and saw the wide arrange of flexible, bent and curved weapons, strung taut end to end with string. She begged her mother every day to let her get a bow as the weapon called to her, by the 8th year of such nagging Sonir gave in and bestowed the half breed with a wooden bow.

Many years had passed and Eliel's skill was impeccable, she even saved enough gold to buy an elven bow that was made out of pure ebony. Her mare, Daeroch, whinnied near her informing her that he could sense an approaching presence.

Her pointed ears pricked and heard what sounded like carriages and chatter and got up to settle her horse. "We travel to Minas Tirith. Heavily restock then we can make it to Dale, should be at least a five month journey and we would arrive two months before the celebration of victory" The cloth merchant spoke. "And maybe we could hire some mercenaries to see that we actually arrive with our heads and stock." Replied the general store worker. "I hear the Erebor dwarves are holding a massive feast this year, 60 years since the victory of the Lonely Mountain. Wouldn't that be a sight to see Ma?" spoke a little boy in his mother's arm "Dwarves would also pay good money for Gondor relics too." Laughed a materialistic burly man.

Eliel knew of the places the group of at least twenty people were talking about. She had read about them and was told stories by Sonir who lived in a town in the middle of the lake just below the mountain. Eliel was even wearing an Erebor gold arm cuff just below her elbow that she brought off a wanderer. She continued listening until they were out of earshot, wanderlust taking over she thought of what it would be like to roam Middle Earth. The people she would meet, the stories she would hear. She was jealous of those merchants, she couldn't just leave her mother here and she was all Eliel had and she wasn't going to start carting an old woman around.

Eliel half braided her hair and left the remaining dark bronze ringlets fall down her back. She grabbed the arrows from the hay bale and noticed there was only three intact the rest had snapped when she shot them or split when she attempted to pull them out. "Blasted cheap arrows, not good enough." Mumbled the frustrated girl. "This close to burning you to the ground." She threatened the inanimate object.

She given up and jumped on the back of the dusky horse and the sleek beauty continued towards the town with a natural gallop that pounded the ground. The thing she loved most about this horse was his flowing mane that whips as the winds call it, she could sit on the back of him and braid his mane in peculiar tresses.

When she had arrived Stromm the young stable boy was waiting for her and jumped off the horse. "Sorry we were out so long Stromm, I didn't think he was this unpredictable" Eliel lied to the lad for her own selfish reasons, she knew she could sweeten her way of trouble most times. "That is no excuse Eliel, the master is going to have my head for his favourite being gone half the day" Obviously this being not one of these times. "I knew it was the half-breed that took Daeroch" A voice boomed from behind them. A sturdy man whose was balding stood his ground and threaten "If I see you here again I will have you arrested. And you" he pointed to Stromm "One more fault of you boy and I will put you back in the streets, you're a burden. Settle the horse before you get something to eat. Run along now half-breed."

Eliel looked apologetic towards the lad and ran off quickly before she could cause any more trouble. It was dark but had memorized the twisted alleys and maze like structural design that led to her home. When she had arrived Sonir was sitting down in her usual chair with a blood stained handkerchief in one hand and a pain relief brew in the other, but no pain could have stopped the smile that she put on when she saw Eliel walk through the door. "Welcome back."

Eliel knew that the argument was nothing now and the words had been taken back. "How are you feeling?" She asked obviously distressed by her sick mother "Nothing to worry you dear, just the usual" Something Eliel had heard a thousand times before. Sonir's life was almost at the end and she knew that, so did Eliel. Eliel understood although she was sad about losing her mother soon she also had learn to accept it. Sonir taught her about life and death and how it was inevitable. She knew there was nothing that could be done about death, and that was truth. The only idea about death that scared Eliel was that she did not know her life expectancy, sure her mother was an elf and they live forever but who was her father. She knew he was not an elf or else Eliel would have turned out differently and her mother would not had any reason to disown her.

She never wanted to know about her family but as she was maturing, there were questions she wanted the answer too. "Well now that you are alive, I am going to bed" Sonir disappeared into the only room that occupied the house

"Goodnight" Eliel replied. She thought she'd better ask another night when the tension was not as thick. She placed herself under the duvet on the bedstead that had its place in the corner and drifted off.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter IX.

Gwirith 25th 3002 T.A

Eliel had gone 3 weeks without riding Daeroch and she had never felt so bored, sure she had other things to keep her mind occupied nevertheless bored. Sonir had taken a turn for the worse over the weeks and it up was to Eliel to guide the 21 year old Lami through the process of becoming an alchemist. Lami was the granddaughter of an herbalist so it was not that difficult to teach the girl what her mother taught her and her grandmother before her.

"Kingsfoil or as the elves call it Athelas has unique healing properties" Lami stated "My grandfather had plenty of this growing, used it quite frequent" Eliel rolled her eyes. The girl could talk and it would always be something the Eliel already knew, as annoying as the girl was she still classed her as a friend

"So I have heard"

"My grandfather said it is a weed up north and not many people know how to use it. You'll find it most commonly in animal feed" Lami dusted her hands off on her pinafore and reached for a bottle labeled '_Elixir of Health' _"Your mother has quite the skill. You wouldn't find half of these infusions in all of Middle Earth. Where did she learn?"

"Well her grandmother, Rayya was a healer and a nurse to those all over Middle Earth. She taught Sonir and when they found me, I was brought up to learn their ways." Eliel spoke factually.

"Where did they find you? If I must be bold."

"Not at all, they had found me just outside of the Mirkwood Border, you know the elvish lands? While they were travelling from a place called Lake Town up north, where you know they feed Kingsfoil to animals." She joked at the expense of Lami.

"How long were you there? I mean no mother would just voluntary give her child up." Lami was starting to ask question she had never thought about. Eliel was confused, no one actually told her why she was left in the woods or if they even found her in the woods. She just believed what she had been told without a second thought, why would they lie to her?

She brushed the thoughts away "Well I guess mine did" shrugged and Lami perceived that she did not want to talk the subject anymore, but that did not stop her. "Do you ever wonder? I mean my parents left me, but they died."

"I guess some part of me wanted to know who they were. I just trusted that I had always been told the truth, I mean how else would I end up here?" She stopped crushing the grain and flower seeds in the mortar. Eliel never doubted Sonir once, it was only after conversing with the young girl that they started to submerge. When she thought about it she realized a full story that did not have any inconsistencies had never been told.

She played with the gold interlaced metal on her arm and thought perhaps it is time to ask and this instance get a proper story. Lami continued talking about everything and anything while Eliel continued her work in silence and scarcely answering Lami's questions.

Several hours had gone by and Lami decided she should go home and study her notes. Eliel was relived, finally she could have some peace and quiet. She grabbed an apple of the bench and chomped into the crisp red skin letting it break between her teeth, she felt uneasy in her stomach and decided that would be all for tonight. Sonir had gotten up before to fetch some food and then went back to bed, the days were now too harsh on the brittle woman and all Eliel could do was sit back and let her live her life out the way she wanted. A soft sigh escaped from her bowed lips and she went to the book shelf and grabbed any book at all that could make her mind drift away from reality.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter X

Lothron 22nd 3002 T.A

Lami had now moved into '_The Apothecary's Satchel'_ and was around much more than Eliel liked but she never complained because she needed help around the shop and her company was refreshing. They had to share the one other bed that was in the house as there was no other room, which sometimes caused quarrels in the early hours of the morning. One morning, before dawn, Lami had decided to trek out to collect a species of flower that only bloomed for a certain time of a day. That left Eliel unaccompanied in the morning, wish made her miss the teenager.

She decided to sit by her mother's bed and talk to her when she wakes up. Eliel sat on an unsteady chair and glanced around Sonir's room noting that it had been a while since she looked around. While remaining on the chair she faced the small dresser and that is when it caught her eye, a smooth rune of some sort. She picked it up in her hands and traced her thumb over the foreign runes.

"That belonged to your mother" Sonir's voice startled Eliel as she was too busy focused on the rune stone. "What does it say?"

"I do not know my dear, she stared at it every day. It must have meant a great deal to her." She stared at the girl but could not see her face due to her hair braided to one side.

"How did you know she stared at it every day?" Her eyes glinted with anticipation as she turned and looked "Because I lived with her when I was very young, not for long though only until she had you."

"Did she die?"

"No my child, just left to another place with a very close friend." Eliel was confused Sonir not only knew her mother but lived with her, she did not know whether to act in relief or anger. "What was her name?" Eliel spoke emotionless

"Tauriel. A Silvan elf. Stunned with beauty."

"Why are you only telling me this now? Why not when I was growing up?" Eliel could sense her anger rising but deemed it wise not to act out. "Because I am dying child, you will soon have no one. You need a chance to try to reconnect with her and yourself."

"What about my father?" Eliel questioned

"From what I can remember is that he died in the Battle of Five Armies. And before you ask, I do not know much about him just that his name was Kili" Sonir could finally tell her daughter, nothing stopped her before except that she was afraid Eliel would run off to find her parent. "What happened mother? Tell me the full story from what you can remember. Please." Begged Eliel

"You know the story of Smaug correct?" she continued after a nod from her daughter "I was a young girl, no older than 10 and our home was destroyed by the dragon. We were living in Lake Town of course which burned to ruins, I lost my brother in those fires. My grandmother Rayya thought it be wise to travel south, away from the city of Dale which then was a tomb of its past self. We had followed the river when we came across fleeing orcs. We would have died if it was not for the Prince of Mirkwood, His name is Legolas Greenleaf. In return my grandmother offered help to the unconscious elf on the back of his horse, your mother." All of this was new to Eliel, this was not the story she had been told. "We found an abandoned cottage and stayed there until you were born, Tauriel struggled very much during childbirth and did not take it so well. Then we heard your cries and you were such a beautiful child, you cried as if you knew you hurt your mother and she would have loved you so much"

"Then why didn't she take me with her? Why did you and Rayya raise me?"

"She did not know you survived, my grandmother told her that you had died. The reason why she did that is because she assumed since your father was not an elf you would live your life in shame and Tauriel would not love you. But I knew she did" Eliel was shocked, the story she had just been told was worse than not knowing how she was. She had never experienced this many emotions before. "You took me from my mother because you assumed she would not love me?" Eliel was livid she could barely remain in the same position. "I am sorry, I will not ask for forgiveness. This burden had been bitter for quite some time." Sonir replied calmly as if she expected it. "It was never your mother's fault. If she knew she would have kept you in a heartbeat and I am certain about that because you are the only thing that reminded her of your father. Well beside this stone but I believe she would have preferred a breathing link."

"Did you know him?" Eliel still had the stone grasped in her hands

"I did not have that pleasure, I believe he must have been a great man to have won Tauriel's heart"

"What was his name again?" She had calmed down somewhat but still her emotions ran high. "Kili. That is all I know of him" Eliel was still processing the fact she was basically stolen because of assumptions. "He died defending his uncle at the Battle of the Lonely Mountain"

She looked down at the only connection she has to her mother and father and spoke up "I do not blame you mother" she turned and faced the dying woman. "Eliel, I want you to go find out about them. Discover who you really are. I know nothing of you except a name and neither do you." Eliel ran her thumb over the smooth rune stone again and realized woman was right. "I will bring in some tea" she kissed her Sonir on the forehead which was usual for the half-breed. "You will always be my mother" and walked out.


	11. Chapter 11

Just letting you guys know that Eliel lives in Pelargir in Gondor because Rayya and Sonir wanted to be as far away from Dale and Erebor and so forth. I have explained it in the story and so forth. This story does take place over a long period of time and I hope you guys have realized the minor details that are in this story even if it is not that well written!

Thanks guys for being paitent xxxxx

* * *

><p>Chapter XI<p>

Lothron 30th 3000 T.A

Sonir was buried in the northern burial ground where most folks were laid to rest. The shop was quiet, like a sickness was within the walls but Eliel knew it was because Sonir was never to return. Eliel was full of heartache, she had been drowning in thoughts and emotions and she was trying her best to be resilient over this past week.

She put her hand in her pocket and it collided with her mother's rune stone, she had never let it out of her sight since finding it on the bureau. Eliel thought about how Sonir told her to find out about herself and travel to places she had only dreamed of. She brushed the thoughts of as she thought it was pointless, her parents would both be dead and Eliel knew who her mother was anyway.

"This is the first time I've heard you never speak" joked Eliel to the silent Lami working away at the alchemy lab. Lami smiled "I guess I am just unhappy. I did grow close to her." Eliel understood. Both girls were sad but they understood that nothing could be done and Sonir would not want ruined brews because of her death.

Eliel let Lami continue her work then she walked into Sonir's room and noted that it looked like she could walk in here at any moment. The girl stumbled across a dark wooden chest with metal hinges and patterns hand carved into the mahogany. She had never seen it before and established that it would not hurt to look inside. The box was filled with brown stained letters and pouches of gold, on top was a piece a paper that had her name written above.

"_My Dearest Eliel,_

_Daughter, sweet daughter. How very sorry I am to have left you alone with thinking you have no more family. Please go on and search, there is nothing left for you in Pelargir except the shop and Lami is very capable. I am urging to do this not for me but yourself. If you are struggling to figure out where to begin, I suggest Minas Tirith then make your way up to my birth place, I have not heard any words of Lake Town but make your way to Dale. They should have very detailed records of the battles and who was involved. Another thing is to make sure you are well prepared for the journey Dale is not a three day journey but a mere five months. I do not recall where Tauriel travelled but I assure you if you hear rumours do not hesitate to follow through. Do not mourn for me, I taught you better than that. _

_Until the end of time,_

_Sonir._

Eliel laughed quietly, even in the Hall of Mandos she could still tell Eliel was to do. She still was not certain but unusual feelings were coming over her body, inquisitiveness and a slight urgency to fulfill this loneliness that she had not noticed before. She looked through the other scribbles on the old paper and noticed her name and beside it was a description in elvish, she took the letter and the scrap of paper as well as all the gold pouches and grabbed a knapsack from under the bed. She walked out to the front room towards her bed and pack a change of clothes.

"Are you going somewhere?" Lami was standing behind her, with her wet hands clasped together. "I am going to find my parents or at least find something out about them. It is what Sonir wanted me to do." Eliel explained as she was still packing. "What about me? I won't be able to run this shop, I don't know what to create." She panicked as Eliel walked over towards the bookshelf to pack a few journals and books with her "Trust me you will, Sonir trusted you and so do I."

"Well you can't leave now, it almost dark" Lami was being forced into this so quickly her mind was troubled. "All the more reason to. Trust me Lami you will do fine, read the journals and there is plenty of coin here until I return."

"And when will that be?"

"It is when I walked back through that door." Eliel said as started to change. Lami was quiet still in a state of bewilderment. Eliel came back out all dressed in breeches and a long sleeved forest green top, she roped her knapsack around her back and put her knee length boots on. "Stay safe Lami, I will return okay? You're my friend and I will not desert you." She grabbed her bow and noted that she will have to see the fletcher before she goes. Eliel covered herself in her black hood, smiled at Lami and rushed out the door.

She ran to the fletcher and brought three dozen steel arrows at 2 gold coins a piece. She realized that walking will not only double her journey but also make her an easy target, a lonely girl walking up north she was bound to encounter miscreants. "Daeroch" she whispered with recognition.

She has reached the stables and saw that it was unattended, she quickly saddled up the mare and secured it when a voice broke her concentration. "You cannot be here, if the master sees you-"

"Stromm calm down, listen. I am sorry about the other night, I truly am but I need this horse." Stromm contemplated but realized it was his head that was going to be cut off. "Before you say anything, here me out. I will give you some gold and a proper place to sleep, you won't have to work for that bastard anymore." She handed him some gold and told him to head to her shop and to tell Lami that it was her idea. Stromm could not believe his luck, he accepted without a second chance. "Wait, Eliel" he called as she hoisted herself onto the horse. "You dropped this." He handed her the rune stone which she placed securely in her. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. You are too kind." He smiled at her "Where are you going anyway?"

"Minas Tirith." She answered "Oh and if Lami infuriates you, please do not kill her, she is practically a sister" She called out as she left the stables. Stromm looked confused and Eliel laughed as she rode away onto the road that led to the capital of Gondor.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter XII

Norui 2nd 3002 T.A

Two familiar dwarves grunted as they grabbed handfuls of each other's clothing and attempted to throw each other onto the ground. The blonde one released his brother's tunic and began to jab him in the ribs, Kili let his hold go and focused more of blocking his vital organs. A crowd had gather and started to chant and urge the brothers on for a bit of entertainment, Kili saw his chance and landed a hit right on Fili's jaw. "Is that all you have brother?" laughed Fili as he regained himself and tried to find a chance where he could punch Kili in a similar fashion. "You've grown old and weak, Mr. King under the mountain." The crowd had started to take wages and it seemed the bristly whiskered dwarf was the favourite. "I will show you old and weak Kili." Fili grinned from ear to ear and lunged towards his younger brother. Kili's agile movement was far too slow which caused Fili to land the winning blow, knocking Kili to the ground causing many groans and hails from the spectators.

"Fair enough" Kili rasped. His older brother put out his hand which he grabbed and was brought to his feet "What do you say to round two?" Fili laughed as he wrapped an arm around Kili. "It's on" he said as he shrugged of the grasp and clenched his fists in a ready position. "Sorry to break this up lads but it seems you are needed by your uncle." Bofur bellowed. The men laughed at each other and made their up from the training rooms while Bofur stayed and placed bets for the next fights which had just begun.

"Da. Wait" Fili turned around and saw his eldest son Hain catching up to him. He looked so much similar to how Fili looked when he was barely matured except a little taller. "Ah good there you are. We were just on our way to speak to Thorin, you should come too." He smiled and slapped his back.

"Uncle Kili" Hain bowed his head and Kili laughed, highlighting his crow's feet and creases depicted on his skin. "You're too formal boy. Best not to keep uncle waiting."

The boys had arrived and Thorin was waiting ready to talk to them. The brother's had aged but nothing compared to the 255 year old standing before them. The maps of wrinkles on his face told the most incredible journey. His eye lines told of laughter, of warm smiles and affection. His forehead told of worries past and present. They were so deeply engrained they told of a dwarf who had travelled 25 decades to this moment. To stand here as an old dwarf in front his successor and nephews.

"I have received a message from Thranduil, it is quiet odd and rare but it is a response to the invitation to the celebration in a few months. He and his elven kin have accepted but there was another part of the letter. You see he was informing of a pack of orcs who have been frequently lurking in the Mirkwood forest, he believes that there is a pack nearby."

"Why did he not inform me uncle? Am I not the King now?" Fili full of ego questioned. "It is not about who letter should be sent to but more so of the filth roaming close to our people."

"We shall double the guard and negotiate more with Bain and Brand to secure Dale" Fili assured "Hain we will arrange for you to meet with your uncle and cousin in the coming months. Consider this your first trial at being a royal heir"

"Thank you father." Thorin stayed silent, he knew he did not coronate Fili as king too early. He adapted to the role quite quickly and still to this day remained strong, even through the death of his human wife, Sigrid. "Any more news Uncle?"

"Nothing of relevance but Bilbo's birthday is coming up and I will be sending him a gift, will you be doing the same?" The nephews knew how much the hobbit meant to their uncle and any chance they got to show appreciation to the Halfling they would follow through. "Of course." They spoke and set out to do other duties. Hain and his father walked towards the royal library, no doubt to talk to Hain's younger sisters Dis and Dina.

Kili walked back down to the training room to see if he still put a wage on any fight that would take place even if he had to wrestle himself. "Bofur my good man, who is the favourite to win?" He smacked the older dwarf and proceeding to take in the gambles and ale.

Several hours had passed and it seemed to have gotten rowdier as the night progressed and the dwarves got drunk. Kili was told it was time to go to bed and he was struggling to walk up into his room, at this rate he could pass out and sleep right here in the hall. He found himself a cold stone bench and believed it was the most comfortable bench in the whole of Erebor and finally let himself sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter XIII

Norui 3rd 3002 T.A

The stories of Minas Tirith did the city no justice. Three and a half days of riding Eliel had passed through Rammas Echor and had reached Pelennor Fields. Across the vast grassland was standing the grand Minas Tirith which was enclosed by its third line of defense. Eliel had followed Anduin, the Great River, and north and reached the south gate, once she entered she brought Daeroch halt and got off. They begin to walk and reached the main gate just under an hour, before the gate was the paved gateway that led into Minas Tirith. The Great Gate was remarkable, constructed from iron and steel and stood guarded by stone towers and mainstays.

Eliel took a hold on Daeroch's reins and led him through the gate, if she thought she looked small now nothing was compared to how minuscule she looked compared to the stone walls and columns that extended far towards the sky. The marketplace was like one she had never seen before, sure Pelargir was astounding but nothing compared to the City of Kings. The first level seemed to be the largest and swarming with merchants, peddlers, customers and travelers.

"Beautiful baubles and gemstones sold here"

"Protect yourself right. Buy armor from Alvor"

"If anything pleases the eye, don't hesitate to make an offer"

"Vegetables as crisp as the coming winter"

All of them pushing harder than the next to sell their wares. Eliel was so overwhelmed at the beautiful and new trinkets she had completely lost her way and was confused to where she was. She approached some children playing in the street. "How do you ride such a big horse?" A girl questioned and rest had stopped and turned to look at her "What are you?"

"I think she is an elf"

"No stupid, elves are tall and beautiful"

"Look at her ears then, they are pointed like an elf." Eliel had let the children bicker between themselves and continued walking without answering any of their questions.

"What unpleasant children. I guess the bigotry is the same everywhere" Eliel spoke to Daeroch as she patted his head and put her hood up. "We need to find someplace to sleep hey?" Her stomach grumbled notifying her that it had been a day since she had something to eat. "And some food, but where to go" She scanned the area seeing no inn insight. At that point she continued walking along the path until she could see any sign to approachable person that would help her.

Her feet were wearing out and she needed a proper bed to stay in tonight, without asking for any help she thought she should probably get use to not having a comfortable bed to sleep in. Until she had reached the third or fourth level of Minas Tirith, she had not really been counting or understanding where she was. A man was selling breads and alchemy ingredients a rather unusual combination. He saw the hidden face in the hood assumed she was nothing more than a thief

"Do not even think about stealing, I will have your hands cut of right here right now." Eliel was shocked and removed her hood. Do people actually treat strangers like this? She remained in an innocent position "Sorry I was just looking."

"Are you going to stare all day or buy something?" Eliel looked apologetic and was about to move on before a younger version of the man walked up, presumably his son. "Father, let me take over the stall for a while."

The older man walked away into the alleyway. "Sorry about that, he does not like people who do not spend coin here. Were you looking for something in particular?" He smiled and Eliel was relieved that he did not threaten her

"This morning flower what is it mixed with?" She saw the dried leaves and recognized only one. "Oh that is mixed with juniper and corn flowers, it is a tea good for reviving one in the morning. Can be used as pain relief, healthy too"

"Are you just telling me this so I will buy it?" She was skeptical.

"Well you seem like a smart girl, so it would be useless lying to you." She thought it might be helpful on her journey so she brought a pouch from the boy. "You're not from around here?"

"No." The man was nice but she was not in the mood for idle chatter.

"Can I buy a loaf of bread too?" she handed him the coin in exchange for the bread. "How old are you anyway?" she found herself asking.

"I am 20 years old, I am just helping my parents until I can get enough coin to join the guard. What about you?"

"59" she laughed as his face came over with confusion. "Mother was an elf." She began to pack away the food and tea into her knapsack.

"My name is Wilhelm." he smiled after he noticed that she was preparing to continue walking.

"Now then Wilhelm, do you know of any places my horse and I could stay?" it was not the answer he was looking for but continued anyway. "If you go back down the road, there is a place called Four Shield's Tavern. It has stables and plenty of beds, just be wary not a nice place for young girls."

"Why would you send me into a place like that anyway?

"Oh, um. It's alright I think. I just, um I do not know. But it is alright, I think I might wanted to scare you but that did not work."

"Right, well goodbye." Eliel raised her eyebrows and parted with stranger until she reached an alley with a sign pointing towards the inn. She placed Daeroch in the stables reassuring him that they will be gone in the next couple of days, Eliel then walked into the inn hoping for it to have a cozy bed and edible food.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter XIV

Norui 4th 3002 T.A

The first thing Eliel noticed was the stench of alcohol overpowering her then it changed to the rowdy chatter going on in all sorts of directions. Only a few patrons had noticed her but she just slipped unnoticed towards who she assumed was the innkeeper behind the bar. She was quite a busty old woman who paid no attention upon herself. "Sorry, if you have come looking for job – none available" declared the woman cleaning out mugs.

"Ah not looking for work, just a bed and some food" She replied in a hopeful tone. 'Everyone in this city are full of assumptions' she thought to herself. "Ah well lass you've come to the right place. Anything in particular?" Eliel shook her head "Right. Ysolda. Food for and don't forget drinks this time" she ordered a young girl around "So that'll be 10 gold for the room and five for the food." Eliel passed her the coins and she moved onto another customer.

The inn was dark and cozy in a homely sort of way but with the distinct smell of smoke pipes, relatively popular from what she could see and the general colour scheme was somewhat brown and orange. Maybe it would not hurt to stay a couple more nights, just to be well rested. Her inner debate lasted until she had got handed her food by the young waitress, Ysolda. Her plate was filled with a pie and several portions of bread as well as cheese and an apple on the side.

She had demolished the food and even asked for a second serving, saving both apples for Daeroch. After dinner Eliel was shown her room where she made herself comfortable and she pulled out her journal that she decided to bring to take note on her travels.

_Finally arrived in Minas Tirith, midafternoon._

_Brought dried morning flower, corn flower and juniper tea. Must try it out._

_Met a man called Wilhelm. Sort of knew about apothecary. Pointed out where I could stay._

_Found an inn called The Four Shields._

_Debating whether I should buy supplies tomorrow and leave morn after next or buy them tomorrow and leave as well. _

She finished with the date and put it away then pulled out one of her mother's books to help pass more time. Before she went to sleep she made sure the door was secure and hoped there wasn't any unwanted visits during the night.

Eliel woke up the next morning tired from not being able to sleep and her body aching from the metal springs that seemed to protrude through the thin mattress. She thought now might be the time to test out that tea to see if it was worth it. Eliel walked over towards the fire place and filled the kettle with water, while waiting for it to be boiled she started to pack up her belongings. How she was feeling in right now decided that she was not staying again in this so called fine establishment.

The water had boiled and she mixed the dried leaves with the water and waited for it to be cooled down before taking a sip. The taste was peculiar but something she could handle, and after she had finished it all and gathered her things her muscles were not as sore and she felt ready to start her day.

Eliel made her way down to the main area where she heard a familiar voice chatting away. "Hilde. Fresh bread as you requested."

"Wilhelm you wonderful boy, tell your parents I appreciate it. 15 gold as usual?"

"Yes thank you." He was given the gold and then noticed Eliel standing behind him waiting to do business with the proprietor. "Morning half elf." She looked offended but realized he had nothing else to call her by. "Just telling you I am finished with my room"

"Right. Anything else I can get you, breakfast perhaps?" Hilde replied

"Just a few more apples if you've got any?" Hilde nodded and handed her four apples. Wilhelm was waiting for her to stop talking business.

"Can I help you?" There was something about this man that annoyed her

"Do you like apples or something?"

"For my horse." Eliel stated as she made her way towards Daeroch. She untied him and fed him an apple.

"Are you going?" he stood at the door

"Hopefully soon yes. I was wondering if I could buy some more of that tea you sold me yesterday, before I leave." She asked and fed the horse another apple and patted him and prepared him for the day.

He smiled "Sure, follow me" Eliel followed him out the stable and through the alleyway and up towards his parent's stall. "Wait here" he told her as he walked inside. He came back out with a pouch twice the size as the one she brought yesterday and a slice of bread. "Take it, free of charge." He offered

Eliel didn't deny the offer and thanked him. "Where are you going anyway? You seemed well prepared."

"Traveling up north. You ask a lot of questions." She was irritated but not enough to snap at him.

"Sorry, it's just that you are a very intriguing woman and there is something about you that I find mesmerizing."

Eliel had stared at him like he was a fool "I am not really. Nor am I well prepared, I need some food before I start my journey. Something that will last me a while."

He walked with her and he let her into the secrets of the market. Who had the most quality items and delicious food. She had finally spent a decent amount of coin and decided that it was time to go.

They had walked back to the main gate around mid-morning "So I just go out the north gate and follow Anduin?" She asked jumping onto Daeroch's back and securing her bags and taking the stone out and placing it into her surcoat. "Basically, the Great River will take you as far north as you want."

"Thank you Wilhelm" She smiled

"My pleasure..." he paused

"Eliel" he grinned finally getting his answer.

"Next time you pass through Minas Tirith, Eliel, do not hesitate to visit." She nodded and cued Daeroch to start a gallop towards the north gate, where she would officially start her adventure.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter XV

25th Norui 3002 T.A

The road was long and all that could be seen was a combination of green and rocky mountains as well as the rushing river that Eliel had been for following for quite some time now. She had followed Wilhelm's advice but she felt like she had been on an endless road to nowhere. Sonir was right this was not 3 day journey. She had even taken up to having full conversations with Daeroch, and sometimes it ended with full debates but realizing she was arguing with a horse and it went back to silence.

She was not crazy just bored and lacked company. "If only Lami was here Dae, I would have someone to talk to. Well at least someone else would be talking instead of just me all the time" Eliel did not know where to go or what she'd do if the river disappeared. This is the most farthest she had ever traveled in her entire life, she was loving every moment of it but still full of grief as to why she had started this adventure.

"Do you think I will find my mother?"

Silence

"Even a tiny bit of information about my mother or my father at that?" She had the rune stone in her hand and was studying it very closely

"I wonder what this means?" She asked Daeroch this question everyday as if he was just going to answer. She had memorized the strokes and practiced writing them down every day for no particular reason just something to pass the time.

"Do you think I can barter off those jewels? I heard dwarves love there gemstones, especially priceless ones."

She looked around again and it was the same scenery as the day before and so forth. Surely Eliel had to be close to the boarder of Gondor if she wasn't she was certain that her mind would start to fail on her, not to mention the lack of sleep and food was not helping either.

"Tauriel, I wonder what that means. I wonder where I got my name from. It sounds elvish enough don't you think?"

Silence

Eliel sighed and put away the stone, she grabbed a hold of Daeroch's reins and kicked him into a gallop.

"Might as well hurry our trip" She laughed as the horse started to speed up. They were in fast pace for a long time when Eliel saw them in the distance, two colossal heads resting onto of the mountains separated by the river below. She slowed the horse to a canter so she could marvel at the intricacy of the statues.

Argonath, Pillars of the Kings.

She had only heard about these and did not believe they were so tall. "People of Gondor like big intricate things, don't they?"

With sudden realization Eliel had reach the northern boarders of Gondor. "We've made it Dae." She grinned never had she been so happy to see statues in her entire life. She noticed a tree and decided it was time to set up camp, she got off Daeroch to let him have a rest for a while and grabbed her knapsack and climbed up the tree. Creatures are far more likely to kill me on the ground was her reason to be finding trees to sleep in this entire journey.

_Reached Argonath today._

_Something I could never of imagined seeing._

_Daeroch and slowing down quickly, need to be easy on him._

_Almost a month since I left home. _

She finished her journey entry with the date and her practice markings and tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in to no prevail.

The morning was rough on Eliel, she had come to prefer riding all night then sleeping in a tree. There was also the choice of sleeping on the ground but that only came around if there was not a sturdy enough tree.

She jumped down and spotted Daeroch in the distance. 'Must have wandered during the night' she walked a fair way to reach him and it was good to stretch out her stiffened muscles. Eliel reached Daeroch and led him over to the edge of the cliff where she could view the pillars for a little while longer and eat the last of her bread.

Eliel finished eating and jumped on the back of Daeroch, she was so happy to be getting out of Gondor. The excitement was taking over her, running from her brain to the tips of her toes. The thrill of the unknown, the seeking of new answers. She needed Daeroch to get where she was going fast just to tame it and with that she had headed north to the next point of her adventure.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter XVI

17th Cerveth 3002 T.A

Eliel was sick of water. First and foremost she had been following an endless river that made north seem like it did not existent and secondly it had been falling from the sky nonstop for a week now. Her clothes did not get a chance to dry and her hair remained damp because of the wet hood she always kept on her head and the smell of wet horse was making her feel sick.

It took her two weeks to climb down the mountains of Argonath and continued her journey at a low altitude walking across The Wold. She had been walking on the edge of the Rohan Grasslands so she could follow the Great River closely. Too the west she could see the dark forestry of Fangorn and deemed it wise to stay as far as way as possible.

Her lack of sleep was making the journey twice as hard as she wanted to sleep anytime of the day. Many times she had tried to sleep while on Daeroch but proved that was not the best option as he senses that no one is giving him directions.

The sun was going down and she needed to sleep his time and hopefully it will give Daeroch a chance to recover himself. Eliel felt bad for the horse, she did not want to cause him pain by making him continue walking when he was exhausted. She even a couple of time got off him and walked herself so his back could feel relief.

"I think we might be at the edge of The Wold, Dae." She patted his mane "We will make camp soon let's just try to reach it."

He was a quiet horse which gave Eliel a lot of time to sit in silence. While she listened to the vast emptiness she heard faint noises in the distance something that sounded like laughter and chatter, another thing that started to grow as she drew closer was the sound of flutes, drums and percussion on several drums.

_'__Downsides go up- hey!  
>Outsides go wide.<br>With a twiddle on the fiddle  
>In the middle by the griddle<br>And the Moon slept till Sterrenday.  
>Upsides go west- hey!<br>Broadsides go boom.  
>With a batter and a clatter<br>You can shatter every platter  
>But the Moon slept till Sterrenday.'<em>

The song had reached its end and Eliel was just outside the camp of which the tunes came from. Hidden in the darkness she saw five men, three women and three children laughing and settling down for the night. She wanted to walk past them but also wanted to see if they would offer any food

"Who is that is the shadow Ma?" the youngest girl spoke

The mood changed and the men were alerted and raced to a position of protection. The women clung together and made sure the children were safe. Obviously not trusting the stranger. "Sorry to alarm you." Eliel walked towards the glow of the campfire and removed her hood. She stayed a fair distance away but close enough to be seen.

"What do you want?" One of the men asked.

"I am sorry to disturb you. But you see I am traveling, just me and my horse. I have travelled from Pelargir and it has been a very long trip so far and I have not had anything to eat or a proper place to sleep. I was wondering if I could join you just for tonight." They studied her and her weapon placed on her back.

"We do not-"

"Of course you can" Another man had started but was interrupted by an older woman. "Heddric, she is just a young girl."

"I mean no harm, I promise." Eliel had influenced

"We will not hesitate to kill you if we are doubled crossed." Eliel had nodded in agreement and organized Daeroch with the two other horses that were tied up.

Every one sat in silence, Eliel had obviously changed the mood and she was given a plate of food by the older woman who she was grateful for.

"My name is Ahnissi, this is my son Heddric and Tomas and their wives, Margret and Sudi." Eliel had acknowledge everyone as Ahnissi continued "My two grandchildren Sofie and Francois. This is Runil, Skuli, Thonar and his daughter Dorthe"

"My name is Eliel" She replied being as polite as she could possibly be. Over the next hour everyone had warmed up to the new presence and started to make conversation again.

"So Eliel, was it?" Asked Sudi and Eliel nodded. "Why is a young girl travelling by herself, these areas are not known for safety especially when it comes to teenaged maidens"

Eliel may have only looked nineteen but she was full of knowledge as the next 59 year old and being lowly respected as a youth only annoyed her more "Well my mother recently passed and I am travelling to my father. He lives, well hopefully still lives in Dale." Eliel decided to modify her story and journey a little just for the fact she did not want strangers knowing her business.

"You're travelling to Dale?" someone asked, she was not sure who and saw that everyone was looking at her for her answer.

"Yes I am" She was wondering why she repeated herself.

"So are we" agreed Skuli "We are performers you see, musically of course not theatrically. We are traveling up there to take part of the celebration of victory"

Everyone had finally diminished has tension they had left towards Eliel, which she thought was stupid because they trust to willingly and she could easily steal their gold and food.

"That one the dwarves are hosting?"

"Yes we are quiet looking forward to it. Nothing like we had taken apart in before" Heddric told her "People are coming from all over middle earth to witness it."

Eliel had come over with excitement her wanderlust in full motion. She was glad she had decided to approach these people, at least now she would have company to their destination.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter XVII

19th Cerveth 3002 T.A

Tauriel spent 59 years in the halls of Rivendell, she had plenty of chances to sail but found in herself that it was not time for her to leave the ones close to her. Life on Middle Earth had taken its toll of the once warrior elf she had witnessed so much death and it was difficult to go back to how she was. Tauriel was still the impulsive and reckless elf she always was and still wore eleven military garb rather than the gowns.

The almost 700 year old elf was still as beautiful as ever, red hair that grew only a tiny bit longer and her youthful look still unaffected by the years. She still maintained her spontaneous demeanor and it was that personality that grew Arwen, daughter of Lord Elrond to start an unlikely friendship with the Silvan elf.

Tauriel had met Arwen after a decade of living in Rivendell. Arwen was returning from Lorien and had come across Tauriel in the library and was curious about the new elf that called Rivendell home. They had discussed formalities and over time they quickly diminished and Arwen considered Tauriel kin just like how Legolas considered for Tauriel.

Another notion that brought the two women together was the friendship between Legolas and Aragorn. Everyone knew of the feelings between the man and half elf and it was only a matter of time before the approval of Lord Elrond. Legolas and Aragorn had gone out to find information on the evil rising in the east.

Tauriel knew she was lowly compared to her older friend but that never stop the two from coming together and talking about Arwen's fathers politics and the issues that were present in Middle Earth and also about love and life. Tauriel never spoke about Kili or what had happened, only Legolas knew and talking about it caused too much grief which she would never beat.

Just thinking about what would have happened if the child survived and how she would raise it to not think so lowly of their heritage and hold themselves high made her upset but every day she would think of them and continued on.

Tauriel had walked out onto a secluded balcony after she had woken up from a dream that involved a girl who she had not seen before sitting under a tree playing with a stone. After trying to go back to sleep to no prevail she ended up to where she was. Her night gown reflecting the moonlight that was always clear in Rivendell, she played with the necklace that Legolas had given her for celebrated birthday. The sliver chain had on it a small stone of some sort that glowed underneath the starlight.

"This night is quite beautiful, don't you think Tauriel?" Arwen spoke behind Tauriel, which caused the Silvan elf to leave her thoughts. "Sorry to disturb, you seem so caught up in your thoughts."

"It is quite alright my Lady." Tauriel bowed her head "Can you not sleep either?" she asked the beauty who walked up beside her

"I can hardly sleep when Aragorn is gone." Blue eyes met green eyes with kindness. "What has you up my friend?"

"Dreams and the unusual sort at that." She focused back on the starlight and Arwen look out towards the moorlands.

"I dreamt of a young girl, sitting underneath a Rhovanion tree. Playing with a rune stone that I had lost many years ago" Tauriel was confused as to who this girl was and why she invading her thoughts.

Arwen know looking back "And why was that unusual?" Tauriel had thought it was unusual because she had looked like Kili and had the same cheeky grin he had.

"Arwen, what you do if you lost Aragorn?" Tauriel had danced around the question before answering it. Arwen was taken aback by the question and was confused as to why she was asking. Before she got around to her answer Tauriel interrupted with an apology blaming the fatigue was affecting herself.

"You've lost someone before have you not? Someone you loved?" Arwen questioned with kindness and sympathy. Tauriel nodded played with her necklace again. "I do not mean to pry and to answer your question I would not know what I'd do I would probably pass of grief and weariness but I do not like to think of it. Are you okay Tauriel?"

"I lost someone I did not know I loved until after he died." Tauriel started her story hoping that Arwen would understand. "He was a dwarf." Tauriel stop after speaking and looked at Arwen, she had the same compassionate look on her face and started to speak "It only takes a moment to fall in love and a lifetime to say goodbye to it. You are who you are and people should love who they want regardless of race, gender or religion. We are all one." She was wise, hearing Tauriel was in love with a dwarf was nothing to her, she just wanted to heal Tauriel from the scars that love left upon her. Arwen believed in something that not many other people or elves at that believed in. Tauriel wanted to continue her story as she felt comfortable with it and realize it was love that hurt her, not being in love with a dwarf.

"I did not know I was in love with him at the time but I healed him during the Battles of the Five Armies and I must have felt something towards him because, I had a child by him which did not survive birth." Arwen was soundless, she listened with sorrow and empathy, not only did she lose her love but also her child. It now explained as to why Tauriel spoke of love in past tense and had no desire to find a partner. Elves only love once and Tauriel was robbed of that chance.

"Not all scars show, not all wounds heal. Sometimes you can't always see the pain someone feels. Do not be sad that you did not get a chance to love, sometimes we have to let go of something that once meant the world to us. Not because we want to, but because we have to. You will meet again, Tauriel, love treats us all differently. Arwen smiled with content as Tauriel smiled at her.

Everything was put into place by Arwen and she felt at peace with her life for the first time in 60 years. "Thank you for your kind words."

"It is what I am known for." The ladies parted ways after several moments and Tauriel reached her room and went back into bed and stayed awake for a little while longer. After speaking with Arwen, Tauriel knew that her time to sail was getting closer and she was pleased at the fact of sailing. Leaving Legolas would be hard but he would sail as well so it was not like she was leaving forever. She just wished could see Kili before she left.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter XVIII

2nd Urui 3002 T.A

Eliel had continued travelling with the performers for two weeks and it kept her sane having people to talk to now and being able to eat every day. The eldest girl, Dorthe who was about nine years old, loved to ride with Eliel and Daeroch. She would sit in front of Eliel and hold onto the horse by his braided mane and sing little lullabies that her mother used to sing to her. The group had grown on Eliel and they were grateful that she travelled with him, not only would she hunt for rabbit's some nights she would also entertain the children. She taught the women some of her apothecary knowledge that could be helpful on the road and taught Dorthe how to braid which she would attempt in her father's hair every time they made camp.

They would leave before dawn and continue on the way to Dale and by mid-morning they would have a break to have something to eat. As Tomas was leading the group through the light underbrush of trees in the meadow he called out to every one behind him as he had found some food. Everyone had caught up and looked before them and saw several bulky trees with vines and leaves that protruded red green and gold. Hanging off the trees were ripe peaches, hundreds of furry fruits dangled.

Eliel got of Daeroch and started to pick some along with everyone else. She grabbed enough for her and enough for Daeroch which would last her about four days. She bit into one and the oranges juices went down her chin and she was happy with them. Eliel let Daeroch eat one off her palm and then placed the peaches in her bag waited for everyone else to finish sinking into the newly discovered luxury.

Dorthe came over to her and Eliel helped her onto Daeroch and then got on herself when everyone was ready to go. Runil started a song up and every seemed to join in except for Ahnissi who was ahead with Tomas discussing what would happen if they passed the Elves in Lorien. "They would probably not bother us mother. We are nothing but simply bards and musicians"

Ahnissi started to talk softer but Eliel's elf ears pricked up and could easily hear the conversation over the loud singing.

"I doubt you have noticed but that young girl is not so much human."

Tomas was puzzled and turned around to look at Eliel who had made it seem she was not listening but a part of the song instead.

"What is she then?" He faced his mother

"Well I have noticed that her ears are Elvish and yet she is not an elf." Eliel had not told them of her heritage and kept her ears covered by her hair but she must have tucked her hair once and exposed her ears.

"What if they kill her?" Ahnissi worried. Eliel was relived she thought she would be judged but come to realize that she had come across a free spirited family.

"We will just make sure she is hidden if something comes to that." Tomas assured his mother and she went back to caring for her granddaughter Sofie.

Many hours had passed and it was dusk meaning the sun would set soon and camp stilled needed to be set up, they were just outside of the Forest of Lorien and was close to the Elven City in the Trees or so that she had heard.

As they were discussing where to camp that's when they heard it. A loud battle cry that came from a pack of seven bloodthirsty orcs. They had spotted the group and being the vicious creatures they were, they wanted the group dead. "Everybody run" Eliel had never witness orcs before and she knew she would not witness anything anymore if she stood still. Everyone was out of range from the arrows but if they did not hurry up they would be the target. Eliel's heart started to race and she began to sweat, it did not help that the young girl in front of her started to scream. She kicked Daeroch into a gallop as did everyone else did with their horses, they headed north trying to lose them but it was not working their large feet pounded the ground after them. They were gruesome in appearance dark skinned with rotten teeth and scarred bodies.

Eliel thought of a plan quickly but needed Thonar to take his daughter. "Thonar" screamed Eliel, Thonar knew that his daughter was with the young girl and turned to see Eliel preparing Dorthe to get onto her father's horse. She was still screaming and her tears had flooded her face as well as the other nerve wracked children. "I am going to lead them away." She quickly handed the girl over and got out her bow and secured her knapsack on her back and ran in the opposite direction before anyone could stop her. They were calling out her name but were too determined to get to safety to help her.

Eliel had grabbed an arrow and steadied herself on Daeroch before she aimed at one of the orcs. She raised the bow feeling the weight against her arms and took a deep breath focusing on the ugly orc in the distance. She pulled the string back feeling the course line in her fingertips, she took a deep breath and exhale the same time she let go. The arrow flew smoothly through the air right through the closest orc. "Ah I hit it Dae" She celebrated with the horse until six other orcs were getting closer preparing their own fatal weapons. She realized and kick Daeroch urging him to go faster than he had ever run before.

There were arrows flying narrowly beside her head and she was just waiting for one to pierce her back or skull. She had too much adrenaline to think about anyone but herself and she clung to Daeroch "Come on, Dae." She had circled around the orcs and headed west towards Lorien, she was about to jump over a rock until Daeroch let out a painful neigh and knocked Eliel forward and they tumbled down a hill. In the seconds it took Eliel to hit the rocky ground she knew it was going to hurt, it all happened so fast that she could not prepared herself and hit several rocks as she rolled down the slope. Pain went through every part of her body and she was certain half of her bones were broken, she let out a scream that echoed through the field and accepted that the orcs were coming to kill her.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter XIX

2nd Urui 3002 T.A

Eliel had prepared herself for death as she heard the pounding of feet reaching the top of the slope she had just fallen down, tears of pain were falling down her face as she stood up and prepared another arrow to be fired. She looked out of the corner in her eye as she was aiming at the top of the hill and saw her dark mare on the ground with two orchish arrows in leg and abdomen.

"Daeroch" She struggled to run over towards the horse forgetting about the danger and hearing his soft whinnies. He was not going to survive this and Eliel thought she should die with the horse that she loved as it was her fault she was dying. The sound of footsteps had disappeared and she looked up to see silver haired elves standing above her, they did not say one word to her and only one kept his weapon aimed at her.

"Please help me." Eliel cried, "Those orcs attacked my group I need help please"

Two elves came down towards her and spoke in Elvish to each other. "Your horse will not survive. We must put it out of its misery." Eliel knew it had to happen and nodded. She rested her forehead against Daeroch's and spoke to him to calm him down. "Shhh Dae. It is going to be over now. I am so sorry." Eliel continued to stroke his nose but had to look away as she could not watch the life fall from his large brown eyes. She heard the whispers of the elves then she felt no breaths come from his nose, she got up and grabbed her bag and made sure the stone and the rest of her belongings did not get thrown as well.

Eliel had her belongings and secured her knapsack on her back despite the bruising she would have, she doubted that the tea would help her heal this much. She looked at the Elves and noticed that they had an old man in their company, he stood out as he was not as youthful as the elves and was dressed in grey and appointed hat which contrasted the Elvish white.

The two elves that had put Daeroch down helped her climb up the hill and got back on their horses as the old man dismounted his. "Well, it seems this is my stop. Thank you for the escort but I will make the journey to Rivendell alone and send word when I have arrived." He bowed to the elves and they returned the gestured and headed back towards the forest.

Eliel had stood and watch the interaction between them and saw six dead orcs not far away from where they were. The old man had approached Eliel and she smelt the distinct smell of smoke from the pipe he was smoking. "Well are you alright young one?" he spoke studying

"I will be, just a little sore from that fall." She declared watching the old man puff away on his clay pipe. "Nothing broken?"

Eliel checked herself over by pressing on her ribs and stretching out her arms and shoulders. Nothing was broken but that did not mean she was not sore.

"Nothing from what I can tell."

"Where are you headed?"

Eliel was cautious about this man but must be of great importance if Lorien elves are escorting him. "Dale" she replied watching the man walk away.

"Hm Dale you say. For the celebration of victory no doubt?" Eliel nodded "Where are my manners, my name is Gandalf. Gandalf the Grey" he turned applying for her to follow him.

Eliel had heard the name before in rare stories of old about wizards and the beginning of the first age. "My name is Eliel"

"Daughter of Star" Gandalf spoke, "Elvish yet you are no elf." He studied her again and recognized the dark features of the girl who he had never seen before. "Unless you are half breed?" Eliel could not tell if the wizard was talking to her or speaking his thoughts "Who was your father?"

"That I do not know, I have been told to look into the records at Dale to see any information about him" Eliel was skeptical but felt as if she needed to tell the truth to him.

"Why would you not know your father?" Gandalf was in a deep thought, this girl had looked a lot like the young dwarf prince that he had travelled with many years ago.

"I was taken away from my mother and my father had died during the Battle of the Lonely Mountain." Gandalf realized this must not be any relation towards Kili but kept the thought in the back of his head. "Now Eliel, after what you have just experienced and you are travelling to Dale would you mind my company? I am headed towards Rivendell you see before the Celebration."

Eliel had thought about it and agreed, she could not go on by herself anymore and she needed the company more than ever. And plus she was skeptical of this man, he knew more than what he was leading to believe and Eliel wanted to know what. Eliel had wondered how far her previous group gotten, it was dark now and she they would not have stopped for the night just to be safe. "That will be fine by me." Gandalf smiled and they started their 3 week journey towards the road that led both to Rivendell in the west and Mirkwood to the east.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter XX

23rd Urui 3002 T.A

Eliel had gotten on fairly well with Gandalf the Grey. He would share his knowledge of apothecary and would entertain her with his stories. In return Eliel had told stories of how she grew up and even of her mother who had died recently in Pelargir. He told her about how he was collecting his friend Bilbo Baggins from Rivendell to accompany him to the victory celebration.

They were a day out from the road they needed to reach to part ways and Eliel was going to miss the eccentric wizard. Eliel reminded Gandalf of Kili so much and made him miss his adventure he had with the dwarves. Even though she never spoke of her parents, Gandalf had a feeling that this girl was a dwelf princess to Erebor. He was not going to speak about the subject and waited until she shed some light of missing mother and dead father.

Eliel had pulled out the stone of her bag as they settled for the night. It was the first time she had studied it in a week and the wizard could see what it meant to her. She pulled out her journal and wrote and entry for the day that just had passed but kept playing with the stone in her left hand.

_Gandalf spoke of Dale._

_Told me stories of his Hobbit friends._

_Stone has not changed and still have no notion of its meaning_

"That rune stone you've been carrying. It is important to you, is it not?" She looked up from her writings "It is the only thing I have of my real mother, my birth mother." She passed the stone to Gandalf and watched him examined between his fingers.

"Made from labradorite stone and written in Khuzdul. Language of the dwarves. Innikh dê. Return to me." Eliel was shocked this whole time she had been travelling with the wizard and it had never crossed her mind to show him before.

"Are you certain that is what it says?" Eliel was hopefully, this was a breakthrough. It answered questions she had been dying to know. "As certain as I'll ever be." Gandalf smiled

_Gandalf translated the runes_

_Written in dwarvish language. Khuzdul._

_Return to me._

Now Eliel had wondered what relevance was towards her situation. Was it meant for her? Did her father know of her or was it meant for her mother? These were the next lot of questions that would bother Eliel until she reached Dale. Maybe she could get some dwarves to share their knowledge of such things and to see if they had sold it to any men of Dale before the battle.

"Tell me about your parents." Gandalf asked. Everything was too much of a coincidence for this young girl to not be the daughter of the young prince.

Eliel did not know where to begin. She watched as the wizard packed his pipe and lit it up and smoked it as he waited for the story.

"My mother was an elf. Her name was Tauriel and my human mother and her grandmother had taken me away from her because I was not a full blooded elf. I was told my father died in the battle and his name was Kili" Gandalf choked a little of his pipe gestured the girl to continue. "This was all I have of my parents and this piece of paper with my name." She indicated towards the stone. "Just a rune stone and two names."

"Eliel I believe your father might be still alive. As for your mother, she might have sailed west or died of grief a long time ago." Eliel was stunned all this time she had been told her father had died and now that was not the case. "That is not true. I believed he died, I've been told that all my life."

"Well that is correct but you had also been told that you were given up by Tauriel." Gandalf concurred

Eliel had sat in silence and thought about what she had been told. "Did you know him?"

"That I did." Gandalf nodded. He was very pleased to have met this girl, for Kili's sake of course. Through letters from Thorin and Bilbo, he knew that the dwarf never got over the loss of the elf and did not settle down with a dwarven women and start a family like his older brother. Only if he knew he did.

"Why were my parents not together?"

"Well from the conversations I have had with his uncle, the elf died in battle."

"I am only 59 years old Gandalf. Next month I will turn 60 next month. I was born 2942. If I was born a year after the battle and the dwarves counted the year of my birth the first year of victory, that means Tauriel could not have died" Eliel stated, she did not mean to sound short tempered with Gandalf but the revelations had caused her to become that way.

"I believe that is a rather unusual circumstance." Gandalf spoke remaining blasé about her demeanor. No more conversation was spoke between them and Gandalf went for a walk to do whatever wizards do and Eliel remained by the tree and could not wait to find her father in Dale.

In the morning they had continued their journey and had reached Old Forest Road by noon. "Well Eliel this is where we part ways. I am traveling west on Old Ford Road towards Rivendell. Now if you are travelling alone along this road be wary, if you lose the path you will not find it again" He spoke with Déjà vu towards mirror image of Kili "Now once you get to Dale you must speak with King Bain, he will lead you towards the hall of records. Also make sure to speak with the dwarves of Erebor as they may hold information about your mother and father. I shall see you at the celebration but farewell until then." He bowed and started to walk towards the mountains to the west. Eliel turned and face east and was confronted with a dark road leading into the unknown "Well I've made it this far"


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter XXI

Ivanneth 18th 3002 T.A

Walking through the dark forest alone and starving was not how Eliel had pictured her 60th birthday. She really did not know how she pictured it but this was not something she could have ever imagined. Ever since she had parted ways with the wizard she had grown accustomed to talking to herself, just small things like when she discovered a new ingredient or when she would read her books aloud.

Another thing she had started was practicing her conversations she was planning having with her father when she met him. "Hello Kili? You don't know me but um, no that's not it. I am your daughter? I am YOUR daughter?" She repeated the words putting emphasis on different words but nothing felt right.

"What about, hello there Kili, my name is Eliel. No that is not it. Okay okay, my mother was Tauriel and I am looking for my father? No nothing is right!" This usually went on for hours several times a day.

She did take in Gandalf's precaution of the forest but it did not affect her the way Gandalf was meaning. Mirkwood felt comfortable for her and she would not mind coming back here after she found Kili.

"What if he already has a daughter? He might disown me and this could all be for nothing." Eliel had come to the understanding that 60 years had passed and he could be an old man in his eighties and might not even remember Tauriel.

She was too focused on her thoughts and the paths to notice shadows that had been constantly following her for several hours waiting for her to stop and rest. Eliel continued on the path fatigue not settling in and kept thinking about her father. At first she was determined to find her mother after all she was immortal but knowing her father was alive made her advance after him. Taking an inner break from her thoughts she was able to pick up on the rustling of the leaves on the ground. They were too loud to be picked up by the wind and she was certain she was not imagining things, Eliel did not stop to investigate but fastened her pace until she heard it again.

Eliel stopped dead in her tracks and looked around the darkness, her fingers twitching, anticipating the agile movements she would need to grab her bow. She grabbed her bow anyway and turned to continue when something or someone dropped from the trees below in front of her blocking her way. Eliel screamed but it was silenced by a hand from behind which only made her thrash around more, the hooded figure in front of her pulled out a dagger which Eliel tense with anxiety. "Do not scream, no one will hear you and frankly it is annoying." The hand was relaxed from her mouth and she stood there frozen in fear.

"Hand over everything valuable you own and we promise not to harm you" The deep calm voice spoke. Thieves. Eliel thought it was ironic that she was being robbed after everything she had robbed in the past. "Do I look like I have any valuables?" Her anxiety had swallowed any rational thought and she relied on sarcasm to get her out of this.

They were not expecting a question and only acknowledge sarcasm with sarcasm. "Yes you look very lousy with gold, not like we did not see it when you opened your bag along the road many hours ago." Eliel sensed the presence behind her move around towards the front where they whispered something into the frontrunner's ear. She assumed it was two men as she could not see underneath the hoods. There was only a small window to get out of this and Eliel took it, she quickly grabbed a steel arrow and in one swift movement she shot the arrow through the quieter's one leg, this caused him to scream out in pain and drop to the ground.

Eliel felt the sting of the blade as it sliced the back of her hand. She drew back her hand and dodged the daggers as the man tried to stab and slash at her. She used her bow as a shield and when he lunged again she caught his hand in the bow and bent it in an unnatural way, he yelled in a similar fashion as his partner and Eliel made a mad dash off the path and into the gloomy forest. She was being chased she was no match at hand to hand combat it was only a lucky chance, if she could climb a tree without being seen she could easily kill the man.

Eliel weaved through the trees with only the moon to guide her. This was no forest to be chased, fallen trees and roots were placed in difficult positions making her stumble a few times. She was still being hunted as she assumed the stranger was accustomed to the woods, her hand was stinging and was profusely bleeding and she had no sense of direction. As the canopy overhead thickened, her steps grew muffled by the pine needles that blanketed the forest floor, she followed the moon with her eyes letting it guide her towards the edge of the forest. Her face was scratched from the twigs and branches that attacked her face, but it was better than being dead. The sap from the tree matted her already damaged hair causing more grass and twigs to stick in it. Eliel did not stop until her hood got caught on an ancient branch, she pulled and pulled not noticing the drop behind her. She had loosened the hood only to be thrown backwards down an embankment, her body flailing against the mounds in the ground and pain shooting through her healed wounds and only to be thrown into the river below.

The cold rushing water pushed down on her from all sides, the more she struggled to swim up the more disorientated. Eliel's lungs burned for air as she tried to find the surface. Up was down and left was right but she had managed to push herself up from the murky bottom and resurfaced onto the shore coughing up the icy water that were beginning to fill her lungs. Eliel laid on her stomach and turned her head she opened her eyes and in the distance she saw the Lonely Mountain.

With a sigh of relief she breathed out "Happy birthday Eliel."


	22. Chapter 22

Hello! It has been awhile but I have about 10 or 11 chapters to post today! I want to thank you all for being so patient and loving my story and i will be wrapping it up soon, I have a plan for a new Kiliel story which will probably be oneshots but nevertheless more stories! thank you again and thanks for being so positive an novice writer really appreciates it ! xox

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><p>Chapter XXII<p>

20th Ivanneth 3002 T.A

It was in the early morning and Erebor was already taking charge of the day. Today was also the day where Hain would travel to Dale to visit his uncle for a month. The last time Hain spent time in Dale was a few years before his mother died, even though it did not take very long to reach Dale from his home. His father, Fili, tried to go back after Sigrid had died but it was too hard on him. He still remembers the hard days leading up to her death and thought Fili would certainly follow her into death. If it was not for his uncle Kili he would have been king earlier than he expected.

The breakfast table would always be set by the time he come from his room and sit down, he would usually be one of the last dwarves to sit down. Fili always sat at the head of the table with Kili at his right and Thorin to his left. Dis would take her place next to Thorin and then her granddaughters Dis II and Dina would take their places and then Hain would sit next to Kili. It was all formal but frankly they just liked where they sat.

"Now two months out from the celebration I expect everything to be in order by now. What about orcs roaming about? " Dis spoke "I do not want to be the mother of a poorly organized king."

"Mother, it is all taken care of. Good morning son."

Hain had taken his place next to Kili and grabbed a plate of food. "Morning da. Good morning grandmother. Uncles." He acknowledge every one separately

"Your sisters? Where are they?" Fili asked. His girls always reminded him of his younger brother and himself when they were young, always getting up to mischief and he had to keep an eye on them as many other dwarves over the years had complained about them. "I would not know. Last I saw they were running away from the dining room."

Fili sighed and left the table to go look for his daughters, the 52 year old twins, which was equivalent to a 20 year old human girl, would always run acting childish and rebelling against their father. Fili believed it was due to his mother being the only female role model.

"Those girls need another woman around." Dis spoke with humored disappointed. She was sad for her youngest son that he did not have a family of his own, reminder her too much of her brother. "Mother." Kili warned obviously knowing where this conversation was heading.

"You are only 137 years old, not too late to find a strong dwarf woman and settle down." Kili just shook his head, too many times has he listened to this record. He looked at Thorin and his uncle just raised his eyebrow amused obviously glad he was not pestered by those questions anymore.

"You are too overbearing, you know that?" Kili laughed, he joked with his mother often, the older woman not taking offence because she is where he got his sense of humor from. "And you're just stubborn my son. You will turn into your uncle and you would not want that would do?" Dis elbowed Thorin and started laughing, Kili and Hain join in also causing the older dwarf to get annoyed.

Fili had returned with his daughters in tow, they could be seen behind him as they were not dwarf size. The girls had gotten the height of their mother but all the rest was dwarfish, even the facial hair they would braid down in front of their ears.

Hain was amused by them sitting at the table quietly, they both gave him identical glares which meant they must really got in trouble. Hain had almost finished breakfast before he was given his next lot of instructions. "We will meet you at the gate in an hour, organize your own pony or are you walking?" Fili spoke.

"I was thinking about walking so I would not have to be in charge of the pony the entire time." Hain replied and his father nodded excusing his son.

An hour had passed and Fili and Kili were already waiting for Hain at the front gate. Kili had business in Dale regarding the celebration as well as maintaining the watch and to discuss plans if something were to go wrong, he had plans of travelling to and from Erebor. Hain was given the choice but he wanted to spend time with his mother's brother and sister as well as his cousins especially Brand and his son Bard II.

The walk to Dale was quick and having his entertaining uncle with helped the trip go faster. When they had reached Dale it did not take them long to reach the Arken Citadel where their relatives resided. Brand was the first one to greet them as they walked in. "Cousin!" he welcomed him with hug. Brand was the same age as Hain but 58 years showed differently on a full blooded man than a half breed dwarf and human. Hain looked similar in age as the son of his cousin, 28 year old Bard II. His mother's sister Tilda greeted him with a sincere hug as well then touched his face in her wrinkled hands. "You look more like Sigrid each day."

Hain smiled "Where is uncle?"

Brand interrupting the reunion moment "He would be in the Bowman wing. Come Prince Kili we have much to discuss." Brand pointed Hain in the right direction and then escorted Kili to the war room to discuss what Kili had travelled here for.

"Come my nephew, I will take you." Tilda offered

Walking up the staircase they made a left and continued walking until the smell of earth and musty scent of the records and books that occupied the Bowman Wing appeared. He found his uncle sitting bending over the table looking over some records, the old man had outlived his father by five years now and the 74 year old man did not look like he was passing anytime soon.

"Welcome back, Hain" He smiled at his sister's son. "Come look at this and tell me what you think." Hain was excited to be back and did not want to think of going back home so quickly.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter XXIII

23rd Ivanneth 3002 T.A

Gandalf had arrived in Rivendell two days after Bilbo had and he had never seen the hobbit so excited. He assumed at had something to with finally going back to Erebor after 60 years and seeing a certain Oakenshield. "Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf ad snuck upon the dwarf on the balcony he looked down to the Hobbit smiling up at him.

"Mr. Gandalf."

"You've travelled a long way I see, Frodo behaving himself?" Gandalf knew what Frodo was up to and after the celebration Gandalf was planning another visit to the shire.

"Why yes. One of the most well behaved hobbits actually, unlike those friends of his, pesky Meriadoc and Peregrin." Speaking of the shenanigans they caused with the fireworks at Bilbo's birthday.

"Oh quite yes" he laughed along with Bilbo. They continued talking for a long time through the halls of Rivendell until Lord Elrond insisted to join him for dinner. They had arrived and were seated and Elrond started to discuss business.

"Orcs have been seen roaming Middle Earth. Uprisings have already started in Mordor, this is something we hope to never face again." It was a serious subject and it went on for some time before it was interrupted by the entrance of Lady Arwen. Gandalf and Bilbo stood up from their seats "Ah Gandalf, Bilbo. This my daughter Arwen who you remember." They bowed their heads as Arwen returned the gesture.

"Bilbo Baggins is my name, my lady."

"Pleasure, Bilbo Baggins. Welcome to our beautiful Rivendell, I hope you enjoy your stay."

"Thank you, everything is splendid." Bilbo praised and waited for Arwen to sit down before he took his place again.

"Sorry where are my manners. Gentlemen this my very dear friend Tauriel, I invited her to banquet as she will sail in a few moons." She turned towards Tauriel and gestured her to sit beside her. "Ah Tauriel, pleasure to see you again." Bilbo spoke recognizing her as the elf from the battle 60 years ago. Gandalf stared at her distinguishing those green eyes that he had been speaking to for three weeks. He decided to talk to her after the meal, and alone since he did not know how she would react.

She remained quiet throughout dinner and listened to the harp strings that were floating throughout her body. Arwen was just as silent as her as they both had a fascination with the music that would complete the atmosphere. Lord Elrond and Gandalf continued their conversation before Arwen interrupted them.

"Surely father this is not a suitable conversation to be having on such a beautiful evening."

"You are right my dear." He finished the conversation and continued on another topic about Aragorn.

After dinner was finished they sat around the table before Bilbo excused himself to bed, Elrond was called to discuss tidings and would continue the conversation with Gandalf later in the evening. Arwen dismissed herself needing to be alone and Tauriel decided to wander to give a finally farewell to this place she had called home.

Tauriel was not sad to be leaving, she had come to terms with it and commended herself. The only thing that had stopped her was Legolas had not return to say goodbye, Tauriel was selfish and decided she could not wait. He will sail one day and then she would be able to see him. She thought about him until she felt someone behind her and she slightly turned her head.

"You have a keen sense of picking up on presences Tauriel." Gandalf spoke.

"I noticed you were following me for some time master wizard." Tauriel replied wondered why he was.

"Ah well you see I have some business to discuss with you or mainly important things that concern you." What business could this wizard want from her? Or better yet what did he know that involved Tauriel. She watched him light his pipe and smoke it she was awaiting the information and she assume he was trying to figure out where to start.

"Well I was being escorted out of Lorien about a month ago and my elvish escorts and I had come across some orcs. They were attacking a young girl and her horse." Tauriel did not know what to think of this peculiar beginning "The orcs were killed and the girl's horse had died. She was an unusual thing, half breed elf. I decided to chaperon her to Old Forest Road where she was travelling to find information on her mother and father in Dale."

"What does this have to do with me?" She asked while he took a break to breathe in his smoke.

"Well her name was Eliel, and she told me this fascinating story about how she was stolen from her mother 60 years ago. An Elf named Tauriel was her mother and someone called Kili was her father." Gandalf stopped.

Tauriel heart began to pound her ribcage and she felt as if it was going to break. She was frozen, the light hairs on her arms stand to attention as a militia of chills march down her spine. "This cannot be." She started to breathe heavily as if there was no more oxygen left in the world. "My child died." Tauriel was flood with emotions at once. Resentment, betrayal, elation and grief. Tauriel was conflicted whether to believe him or not

"Your daughter was taken by a woman named Sonir and raised her in Gondor. Eliel told me how she grew up and did not find out about you until the woman passed away. She carries a rune stone with her that it is believed to have some meaning to you." The things the wizard was saying had never been shared information with anyone else other than Legolas and they confirmed that Gandalf was telling the truth.

"They stole my daughter, they raised her with lies and let me live my life in agony for 60 years. That child was the only connection I had with my long gone Kili and they took it away from me." Gandalf listened and realized that this elf was in love with the prince and she thought him to be dead. "Tauriel, the young prince of Erebor. He still lives within the mountain with his brother."

Tauriel could not believe it, sixty years she had lived in grief and heartbreak only to be told it was not worth it. That both her love and child were still alive.

Gandalf had taken his leave with the elf after making sure she was okay. Once he had gone she had fell to the floor, her legs too weak to stand and was overcome with relief and determination.

"Eliel. At least they had the decency to keep her name." She spoke to herself. After Tauriel regained the ability to walk she raced back to her room and changed as well as grabbing her bow and daggers that she had not used in a long time.

She knew it was rude to not say goodbye but she could not delay any longer and she had set out for the City of Dale.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter XXIV

8th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

It had taken Eliel three weeks to reach the lake that had blocked her way to Dale. It took her twice as long because she was recovering from the encounter with the thieves in Mirkwood. She had deep scar on the back of her hand and a facial one that started in the middle of her forehead and travelled down passed her over her right eyebrow stopping above her cheekbone. She had saw her reflection in the water a few days ago and traced her finger over the light scar and saw how it looked new and fresh on her olive skin. "At least it will be a conversation starter now." She said to herself.

She also had managed to rip out all the knots in her hair and smooth it down so she could redo the half braids that kept the hair out of her face. Parts of her body were still a light shade of green and purple from the countless bruises that had developed deep within her skin.

Eliel did not realize until she reached this point that she was on the wrong side of the river. Eliel was now stuck with the problem of how she was going to get to Dale. The river was too wide and treacherous to swim cross and it was likely she would drown or freeze to death. The mountains in the distance looked too complicated to even reach let alone climb and could go around but she did not know how long that would take.

If she could find a boat or makeshift raft nearby she would be set.

Eliel started to back track to see if she could find a narrower place to swim across, the less water there was reduced the chance of drowning. She started to search for large enough logs that could hold her weight as Eliel had the plan of floating across the river, all she could find was sticks and timber that just sunk to the bottom.

After sometime of scavenging around she had come across a broken tree branch that did not sink completely, the next thing was preparing her body for the minus degree water that she would have to swim in for the next hour or so. Eliel took off her hood and shoved it in her knapsack as it would add extra weight and she needed something to keep her warm when and if she survives. Eliel tied the bag and resting it on top of the log in the best position where it would get the least amount of water. It was not the best plan but she was too eager to walk around and too impatient to find a boat.

Even with the morning sun starting to rise the water was so icy it stung but she was determined to tread it until her body was submerged except her head, she was frozen to the bone and her teeth rattled nonstop uncontrollably. She started to drift to the other side of the river, kicking her legs underwater to speed up the process. "This is ridiculous" she shivered through her blue lips, the coldness sweeping her body Eliel began to go numb and her movements were restricted almost to a point of uselessness.

Eliel struggled to swim in the water but luckily it did not take as long as she thought to get across. Although when she had reached the shore her skin was an unnatural shade of white and her lip had tinges of both blue and purple, her hair was dripping and stuck to her face. Eliel crawled out shivering, refusing to stand up until she got rid of the numbness that has invaded the lower half of her body. She wrapped her arms around her legs and started to guide feeling and warmth back into her body.

Over some time Eliel had managed to recover from shock she had put her body through. The morning sun well risen gave some help in defrosting her bones, Eliel put the bulky hood on and made her way up the road where she could see the silhouette of Dale being overshadowing by the mountain. Every now and again her feet would give way to sharp pains that travelled up her calves, she could see Dale right in front of her but it was as if this was the longest part of her journey. It took several hours to trek up the hill that held the path down to Dale and when Eliel reached the top a sudden feeling of excitement and ecstasy overcame her which refused to stay within her.

Eliel broke out into a light jog and on the way she noticed hundreds of coloured tents surrounding the outskirts of Dale. Eliel realized that they were all travelers coming to this festival that was in a months' time. She continued and noticed she had gotten faster, ignoring the pain in her legs every step she took. Eliel recognized that one would have to travel through alleyways of the tents to reach Dale but she did not think it would be that difficult. It was now midday and she could hear the prosperous noises of those who have already arrived.

Eliel was too thrilled to have finally reached Dale she was oblivious to notice that she had been called to a stop. She turned around to see a guard of some sort with papers in his hand.

"Are you a traveler? A Performer or Merchant?" He spoke looking down ready to write.

"Sorry?"

"Are you just traveling through? Or are you a performer or merchant? Travelers will be situated over to east of this path. Performers will be northwest and then merchants to the south of them."

"I was hoping just to be in Dale." Eliel just wanted to get to the records already, they were just in front of her and she had no time for this shenanigans.

"There are no available inns left in Dale, if you follow this path and continue to the gates you will reach the camping grounds."

"Wait, which way did you say performers go?" He looked at her scraggly appearance and hesitantly pointed to his left. She wanted to get to Dale as soon as possible but she also wanted to see if Ahnissi and her family had arrived safely after the orc attack. She thought she should have asked where they were or if this is in a specific layout. All around her were people of all sorts bringing their own flare to their music, all these people here celebrating for something they were a part of. It confused Eliel.

The constant singing was starting to annoy Eliel and she got agitated very quickly when she could not find the family and it was not until she heard a distinct lullaby being sung that she realized they were not far away. Eliel hope that it was them every corner she turned and when she reached a narrow turn that's when she saw Dorthe braiding her father's hair while singing. The little girl was the first one to notice Eliel as her father was too busy talking to Skuli and Tomas.

"Eliel" She screamed as she ran to her, the rest of the group looked up and realized that the girl who saved their lives and thought to be dead were back in their presence. It was a joyous reunion and Eliel was praised with gratitude and liberation.

"Where is Daeroch?" Dorthe asked, sadness taking over Eliel she was blunt even to the little girl. "He died Dorthe"

Ahnissi was the happiest that she had return as she thought of the girl as one of her own. Eliel was welcomed to stay anytime she wanted and decided that if her business in Dale lasted more time than she planned she would stay with the family. Over the night they shared stories of when they were separated and finished the night with songs of praise. Eliel was the first in bed as the day was caught up with her and all she had left in her body was fatigue. She could not wait until the morning.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter XXV

9th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

Eliel was woken up by the sound of more signing and hearty music, if it was not for the humans being her friends Eliel would have most likely killed them. It was not like she was not a morning person it was just because she was exhausted from the journey and knowing she was in Dale made her body sleep to late in the morning. Eliel had missed breakfast by two hours but Ahnissi saved her a bowl of porridge and some fruit which she was thankful for as it would also be her lunch.

She sat and watched the children run around with a kite that Runil had crafted.

"So you're off to find your father today in Dale?" Sudi had sat next to Eliel and both women observed the children.

"Hopefully yes, I will speak to King Bain if I get the chance too and see where it leads me. I should leave soon actually if I plan to speak with him and find my father as well."

"You will return, right?" Sudi asked full of hope

"Yes I will be back. But if I do not return tonight it is probably because I found some lead."

"Good. As much as I love my sister in law she can get a bit too much to handle. Between you and me to this day I do not understand why Heddric even married her." Eliel listened to the gossip which made her feel like part of this family. Not a day went past where Eliel did not think of the woman who raised her, the one she called mother. That why was she enjoyed the company of Ahnissi and her family as she reminded her of how she and Sonir got on.

Eliel said her goodbyes and promised to return sometime in the coming days. She made her ways through the maze of tents and music and found herself in front of the archway which Dale was situated on the other side. Eliel stood in the path making the traders walk around her, she was preparing herself for what could be unraveled if she looked into the past.

'Eliel you have travelled over months to come to this point and hesitate' she was debating with herself as her feet refused to move. Eliel took a deep breath and walked through the arch walking towards to what she assumed was the Arken Citadel, where King Bain rules. The city was alive, it was like a smaller form of Minas Tirith, but nonetheless it was busy and Eliel did not know whether it was always like this or it was because of next month's festivities. The atmosphere seemed gentler and she knew the people here would not cause the half breed any trouble. Eliel had passed the rather small marketplace and had made her way to the residential area where it was still full of activity, these people did not have a care in the world and she wished she could have that sort of spirit.

Eliel had passed a street which the path to Erebor could be seen, it must have been the main passage between the two kingdoms, which meant the Citadel would have to be close by. Eliel had passed several drunken dwarves as she continued, she had never really thought about dwarves because she had no reason to, the thoughts were brushed away and Eliel made her way to the large fortress which held the answers of her questions.

Arken Citadel was fairly large but could still be out of sight if one were to walk pass without acknowledging it. Two guards stood at the parallel steps and she hoped they would not be a problem, but she needed to think of a back story just in case it was needed. She took a deep breath, fixed up her appearance slightly and strutted over to the steps confidently.

"What is your business at the Citadel?" Eliel knew it

"My name is Sudi and I am the new kitchen hand." The first guard just nodded his head with acceptance and she gave a sigh of relief and continued up the stairs until she reached front entrance. When Eliel stepped inside it was like nothing she ever imagined the foyer was grand, something you would not picture from the outside. Curved staircases to the front leading up to the throne room and many doors and side alleys just in the receiving hall, many guards were dotted around but paid her no attention to her. Eliel was so taken with the detail that she did not notice a man standing on top of the staircase looking down at her, he started to walk down the stairs when Eliel made eye contact with him. A young man looked about a few years older than her with blonde hair and sapphire eyes, but it was those eyes that held skepticism and dominance. Eliel prepared herself but decided it would be best to speak the truth.

"What business do you have here madam?" the man was the same height as Eliel and raised his eyebrow at her appearance.

"My name is Eliel and I have come here to speak with King Bain." Eliel said proudly.

"Sorry no business with the king unless appointed and since you do not look important enough to have such appointments, I suggest you leave." Eliel felt her heart drop she was not in the mood for desperations.

"Please you have no idea how far I have travelled. May I ask your name?"

"Prince Hain of Erebor, son of King Fili and nephew of King Bain." He acted formal enough to hopefully scare away the young girl. Eliel was taken aback but she needed to convince the young prince.

"Prince Hain, Plea-"

"Cousin what is the matter?" A voiced boomed from behind him

"A beggar girl has come to seek a conversation with your father." Hain said without breaking eye contact with Eliel

"I am not a beggar girl" Both men were shocked at the backchat Eliel supplied which she immediately regretted. "I need to go over some records from the Battle of the Lonely Mountain, I was told they would be here."

She noticed the younger looking prince glanced up on the balcony which she presumed was the way to such records.

"Sorry those records are off limits" The older man said which caused Eliel to get very agitated, she did not go through all that she went through to get here and to have those records declined from her. "No I need those records, Gandalf the Grey sent me and I have to go through them, now if you will not show me the way I will find it myself" She pushed her way through the princes and ran up the stairs to the left, both of them after her but she was determined to get there. Eliel was suddenly jerked back and realized that Hain had a firm grip on her arm which was starting to hurt.

"Get off me you brute." Several guards had also taken a hold of her, she struggled of course but they overpowered her and dragged her down the main stairs and out the door until they shoved her back in the street. They did not need to tell her to stay away as she got that message. Eliel needed another plan, she was not going to give up because of some arrogant prince of Erebor, and he did not even look like a dwarf. "Some prince" she huffed out and she stroked her arm which was most likely bruised again.

Eliel glanced up around the fort and saw wooden lattice filled with flowers, the framework seem to travel all around and it could surely reach a window which she could sneak in at night.

Eliel waited until darkness blanketed the sky and the cloud covered the light of the moon. She wrapped the hood around her and started to ascent the unsteady structure, the windows were shut probably due to the cold weather creeping in, she continued around until she saw an open wedge in the window. Eliel peered inside and saw what looked to be a library she climbed in and looked around the darkness, these were not just any books but documents and notes, and this was the place she needed to be.

Eliel figured out the cataloguing and grabbed everything under the name of Dale, Lake Town and the year 2941 Third age. The year before she was born and where her parents supposedly died. Her mother Tauriel was an elf so she looked for books regarding the elvish kingdom of Mirkwood as well as any men under the name of Kili. The night went on and all Eliel had found was facts about her mother she already knew and nothing about her father. Hours had gone by and looking at repeated words made Eliel drift off to sleep.

Eliel had awaken to see the princes from yesterday surrounded by six guards. "You have trespassed on royal property and have committed crimes against the people of Rhovanion. By order of the Prince I hereby sentence to a month in the cells."

Eliel started to panic and got out of her seat. "No you don't understand I was only trying to find my father, please." Despite her pleas, Eliel was dragged down to the prison cells where her belongings were taken off her and all she had were the clothes on her back. "Please I did not mean it, Get me out of this." She begged against the steel bars. "How am I going to get out of this?"


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter XXVI

12th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

Kili left Erebor earlier than he planned but he felt like he was needed in Dale or he was missing out on something. He arrived just before mid-morning and the Citadel was in its usual morning hurry and there were more guards around the entrance then when he visited last.

"Prince Kili." Brand greeted the young dwarf. "We did not expect you so early."

"I was in a rush this morning and did not realize I have left so early." He glanced around and saw more guards inside "Is it me or is there more guards?"

"We had a break in a few nights ago and some records were looked at." Brand was so blasé about it all "But the stupid girl fell asleep and got arrested the next morning. We are taking extra precaution as she seemed to have sneaked through without any trouble." Kili brushed it off as just common troubles as it did not concern him. "Please make yourself at home, I have some dealings to do with Alick and a few of his merchants and Hain should be here somewhere." He bowed his head and went outside to continue his day.

Kili went up the stairs and tried looking for his nephew, he searched the kitchen area and then his bedroom but finally found him in the Bowman wing looking out the window.

"Hain, I have some news from your father." Hain turned around and faced his dwarvish uncle.

"Welcome back uncle. What news?"

"Just that you are expected home any time but preferably 2 weeks before the celebration as you have to go over royal proceedings. Fili will actually be hear next week maybe or the week after, just to speak with Bain and-" Kili got sidetracked by the books that were open on the desk.

_The Elvish Guard of Mirkwood. 2941 _

_Captain: Tauriel _

_Banished by King Thranduil._

Tauriel. A name he had thought about in a long time.

"These were the documents that were read by the intruder the other night. I am trying to piece together what is the importance of them." Kili was at a loss for words. "Records of Dale and Lake Town were also read from the same time period of the Battle of the Five Armies. The girl will not talk and we are concern she might be a spy or something along the lines."

Kili was curious as to why information of Tauriel was needed but forgot about it as quickly as it entered his mind. "Well I will let you get back to that and we will talk later." They gave a brotherly hug and Kili walked out the door "Hain, if you figure anything out, I am curious to know."

Kili walked around the Citadel distracted by his thoughts that have not arose for several years. He still thought about Tauriel every now and again but these thoughts of what ifs and how their relationship could survive and how it would be accepted, but now none of it ever mattered Tauriel was dead.

"Prince Kili, Prince Brand sent me a message to inform you that he will meet in the guard room dungeons." Kili gave the messenger thanks and proceeded to walk down towards the dungeons.

He walked down the stones steps until he reached the Jailor.

"Prince Kili here to meet with Prince Brand." The jailor nodded and unlocked the door that stood behind him. Kili was standing on the top level and below him were the jail cells that held Dale's criminal wanted, the prisoners in here were usually the ones needed for questioning or have committed serious crimes to be lock in this secure prison. The young dwarf prince had to walk pass the torture and questioning room where one prisoner was shackled to the wall by the wrists. Her long brown hair covered her face and she looked limp against the wall, the smell of blood made his stomach churn and continued down the hall.

The guard room was occupied by several tables and chairs, weapon racks that took up the space on the wall and several chests of evidence and prisoner belongings. He look down at the table and saw a map of middle earth with various locations marked, a few daggers and coin pouches which were probably used in wagers against the prisoners. "Sorry I made you wait Kili seems the marketplace is in a bit of an uproar this morning." Brand came in followed his son, Bard II and Hain as well as two guards. Brand dismissed the guards to put the prisoner in next room back in her cell. "The girl is strong, I'll give her that." Brand was one for equal justice and fair trials but the young girl was full of lies and her story did not make sense which led to far harsher techniques.

They watched as they dragged the girl pass the door and presumably back to her cell. "The men will catalogue her belongings and then we will get into our business." Hain and Bard where in a heated discussion about archery skills and Brand was overlooking criminal records and missing persons, while Kili was quiet, thinking about the girl and why she was looking over records about Tauriel and the Battle.

The guards came back and pulled out a leather knapsack along with a black hood. One took a note pad and a quill and ink and began to write. Kili watched from across the table.

_Prisoner #63 Prison Cell #5_

_One large black hood._

_Elven Ebony bow_

_Twelve steel arrows_

_One leather Knapsack._

_One journal belonging to Eliel Nirn with writing esstentials_

"Go through that journal, might give us some clue to who and what she is after you're finished." Brand interrupted

_Three hard covered books_

_Large coin purse_

_Pouch of jewels _

"A thief most likely."

_Pouch of flowers_

_A set of clothes_

_One rune stone_

All the belongings were laid out on the table when Kili recognized the rune stone. "Pass me that stone." He urged.

"It cannot be" Kili was certain this was his stone. The one his mother passed down to him and the one he lost when he lost Tauriel.

"Uncle what is it?" Hain asked, everybody was curious as to why he was so intrigued by this stone. "The prisoner? Can I speak with her?"

"Escort him down to cell 5" Brand instructed. Kili could not wait for the guard and he rushed down the damp steps to find the owner of this stone. When he reached the cell the girl was sitting against the back corner with her head slouched on her knees. The cell was not much, a tiny stone square with just enough room to fit one person and a chair. All they prisoners had to sleep on was a pile of hay and a large animal skin but it was most likely damp from the water dripping through the small barred window, squalid conditions for such a profound society.

"Where did you get this stone?" The dwarf approached the rusted bars. The young girl took effort to lift her head to meet his eyes, the darkness of the cell hid any features of hers and he could not tell what she looked like. "Where did you get this stone?" He pushed for an answer. She tried to get up and it took several moments before she stood unsteadily on both feet, the limped towards the glow of the candles.

"It was my mother's." She had reached the bars and leaned on them to support her weak frame, she glanced up and look him in his eyes.

Kili had looked past the swollen purple skin and could barely see the familiar eye colour. That pool of mossy green with flecks of brown. "This is unmistakably my stone and I lost it many years ago, my mother gave it to me and then I gave it to someone very special to me. Where did you get it?"

The young girl who was no older 19 years looked defeated but determined. "Please you do not understand, this is my stone my mother gave it to me when she died. It belonged to my birth mother." Tears began to fill her eyes and it highlighted the black circles under them.

"Uncle Kili what have you found out?" The young girl raised her head at the question. Kili did not break eye contact with the prisoner when he replied to his nephew. "Nothing. I will return to find out how you got this rune stone." He mildly threatened the girl a placed the stone into his pocket and walked away from the oddly familiar prisoner.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter XXVII

13th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

Kili was her father.

Her father was a dwarf.

Eliel did not want to admit it but she was a dwelf. A species very rare in Middle Earth. She debated with herself over the night that she was not some half breed elvish dwarf but came to this ridiculous conclusion after she had sufficient evidence that supported it. First Dwarves were small and if Tauriel slept with a human male surely Eliel would have been taller. Second the stone which she was told was given to her mother by someone called Kili was in Khuzdul, Dwarvish language. She remembered the conversations she had with Gandalf about how she should speak with dwarves of Erebor, Eliel did not take the wizard for a fool and he knew her father was still alive. The evidence was small but put together they were something that meant a lot to her.

It has been three days since Eliel was arrested and she had been beaten, threaten and almost raped. What she had experience in here made her promise to never do anything illegal so that she would not have the familiarity of this again. Over the days and night she had spent in here she had found a weak area in the back wall. When Eliel was not being thrashed with questions by the ruthless guards she was carefully pushing out blocks that would be big enough to get through but small enough not to be followed. She knew the dwarf she believed to be her father would return but then again she could not stay in this cell and be abused anymore. It was early morning from what she could tell and the guards would be making their first scan very soon which gave Eliel an hour until the next round.

The rather large man walked passed throwing in a loaf of bread which Eliel refused to eat, he quickly passed and Eliel made her to the wall. Through the other side she could see a tunnel, who knows where it would lead her but she had to take the only chance. Her body ached as it adapted new positions through the wall, the stone ripping at her skin as she went head first. Eliel had trouble pushing her hips through as they were stocky and the largest part of her body, once she had done her legs were the easiest to get through. Eliel's back hit the damp ground and she looked around dim lit chamber, which must have an ending because of the breeze blowing the cobwebs in the corners. Eliel quickly got onto her feet and started a light jog towards whatever was at the end of this tunnel, what caught her eye as she continued was an opening in the wall to her left and inside she could see the guard room as well as the open chest that held all of her belongings. This was pure luck. Eliel grabbed her journal, her hood and her bow that laid upon the table all the rest she had left behind to make it seem nothing was out of the ordinary until it was truly observed. She quickly adjusted herself and continued down the corridor until a ladder was all that stood in front of her. The ladder let to a wooden hatch which sunlight could be seen shining through, opening it could be freedom or a death sentence. Eliel could not hear anything on the other side and climbed out of the hole to be blinded by the sun. Her eyes adjusted and she looked around and realized that she was on top of some ledge that looked like it had not seen presence in some time. Eliel looked down to see a secluded alley below, just prepared her body and jumped down, pain shooting from her ankles to her hips. "I swear this adventure is killing me."

Eliel put her hood around her and started to run towards the street, she got to the corner before her footing disappeared and she collided with another person. Her head hit the bricks but before the pain hit her she had an arrow aimed between her eyes, an arrow that was being hold by a dwarf but not any dwarf, however the dwarf she believed to be her father. "You were not released."

"Kili, Please." Eliel decided to be informal to catch his attention "My mother's name is Tauriel, did you know her?" If he knew the name of the elf, it would confirm Eliel's question of her parentage.

"It is impossible." Kili still had his arrow pointed at her refusing to drop it.

"Please listen to me." Eliel had crawled back into the shadows "My mother was an elf named Tauriel and I believe-." She stopped herself unaware of how to put this "I believe you might be my father." Kili subconsciously lowered his weapon and his brow scrunched together. "Tauriel died and I have not fathered any children."

"Please just please" Eliel had lost count of how many times she had begged for anyone to listen to her "Tauriel thought you died and she was banished. I was stolen away from her along with the rune stone, I was born 60 years ago I was told Kili was my father. Return to me, that's what it says does it not? Please believe me." She did not realize that her cheeks were wet and her hands were shaking until she stopped talking and waited for whatever response he had. Eliel had clenched her fists tightly, until her nails dug into her palm but she barely noticed. The only thing she was aware of was the sound of her heart throbbing against the cage of her heart over the silence.

A sudden bell rang off the top of the Citadel which both Eliel and Kili turned to look at, an alarm most likely to signal the guards of an escaped prisoner. "Make your way to Erebor, stay to the back streets and do not make yourself look suspicious. No one will be looking for something traveling there. I will make my way back later, inform my brother Fili and my brother only. Give this to him" he reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone and placed it into Eliel's slightly larger but slender hand.

Eliel finally exhaled with a sob and thanked the dwarf. She prepared herself and brushed past him before his hand grabbed her forearm. "If you have lied to me I will not hesitate to have you killed." His threatening brown eyes met appreciative green. She nodded her head and broke into the fastest run her damaged body could take her, Eliel hid her face every time guards ran past towards the marketplace. Kili was right no one would suspect her as soon as she was on the road to Erebor.

It was about noon when Eliel had reached the dark emerald structure that shielded the dwarven kingdom, the gates were huge and towered over anything that stood beside it. "Eliel Nirn?" A dwarf asked from above, obviously a watchmen.

"Yes?"

"I have been informed to take a young girl by that name to the royal wing." He turned out of sight and a few moments later the heavy doors creaked open and Eliel was allowed passage into the great dwarven kingdom of Erebor.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter XXVIII

13th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

The last thing Eliel expected was her presence being anticipated by these dwarves. Had Kili somehow gotten word to his brother first or had news of the prison escape put Erebor on edge? Eliel followed the stumpy dwarf, watching him waddled through the maze like structure and hearing the clinks and clangs of his weapons and jewelry against his amour. As for where he was taking her she had no idea, Eliel was taken too much with the intricate detail of the layout of this place and she swore they were just going around in circles.

This place was making Eliel dizzy, the lack of food and water in her body was affecting her and the running and energy used to get here did not help her condition but yet she powered on not letting people see that she was unwell.

Finally they had reached a door that led into what Eliel was told was the royal wing a place which houses the king and all lines of his bloodlines. The dwarf led her into a foyer which before and above the feast room. "Most meals are taken place here" he spoke as they made their way down the stairs and across the room and towards another stone staircase. This one led up towards the king's office where most dealings and business was discussed. The dwarf gave a sturdy knock on the wooden door which echoed through the halls, he pushed the door open. Obviously the knock was to alert whoever was on the other side about their presence.

Eliel stayed hidden beside the door and could not see who occupied the room. She clutched her journal in her arms and took a deep breath preparing to tell her story. She saw the dwarf bow in the doorway "Mister Gandalf, I have in my presence one young girl by the name Eliel Nirn." He stepped out of the pathway and held out his left hand.

'Gandalf?' Eliel thought, her curiosity had peaked and she walked cautiously towards door and peered inside. Gandalf was indeed in the room and not to mention five dwarves and a hobbit. Eliel had looked around the room and saw that everyone looking back at her. "Let me introduce everyone."

"This is prince Fili. King of Erebor. His mother lady Dis and Uncle Thorin Oakenshield. The Princesses of Erebor Dis II and Dina. This my friend Bilbo Baggins and this is Tauriel." He stepped aside and hidden behind him was a slender elf with flowing red hair, a graceful stance and elegant facial features. Eliel stood still, staring at the elf, her body overcame with an emotion that she had not felt since Sonir, like a part of her had been restored. Any movement Eliel had was now restricted with things she could not explain, she stood still even when Tauriel started to approach her. The elf stood taller than her had to look down when standing face to face. Tauriel reached out and cupped Eliel's face in her hand, tracing the scars on her face with her thumbs, she was gentle and compassionate and Eliel got that through her motherly touch. "My sweet Eliel." She whispered then embraced her long lost daughter.

Eliel relaxed slightly in her mother's arms and Tauriel felt her body calm into hers. Tauriel released the girl but held had a hold on her shoulders staring intently at her. Their kindhearted contact was broken by the dwarf king. "We have to inform Kili, he should return in the next days but we can get a messenger to Dale by tonight."

"Kili knows." Every turned and looked back at Eliel "He was the one who told me to come to here."

"How did you know it was him? I mean how did you know he was your father?" The older dwarf woman finally spoke up in contrast to her brother and granddaughters who had yet to make any noise.

"It's a long story really but mainly because he found my rune stone. This rune stone." Eliel said as she pulled the stone from her pocket. "I was told this was given to my birth mother by my father, a man named Kili. Which I found out is not really a man but a dwarf. Then Kili told me that his mother gave it to him." The ownership of the stone could be debated so that was why Eliel kept it close to her at all times.

"That I did. He was so distraught over losing it but I have come to realize why." Dis spoke up looking at Tauriel. Eliel could not tell if both her and Tauriel were being accepted for not, the mood was awkward and tense.

"Remove your hood, dear. You will soon get quite warm in here." Dis spoke. Eliel knew what the woman was talking about, the humidity within the mountain was intense and the heat did know help the lightheadedness. Eliel removed the hood and wrapped it in her hands. "Who did this to you?"

She did not understand what Tauriel was asking about until she realized her hood exposed her welts, bruises and scars that occupied her body. Eliel had only a thin short sleeved tunic which she felt the need to cover up and step away from her mother. Tauriel had a sense to protect her daughter and to punish anyone who has hurt her? "Just some trouble I had run into in Dale."

"Do not worry about it." Eliel did not have the energy to talk anymore and just gestured with her head to answer question, after a while everyone started their own conversations. Fili directing his daughters to stay as this was a family matter then talking with Gandalf and Bilbo and Thorin in a deep conversation. As for Tauriel and Dis they both sat in silence with Eliel glancing at one another, Eliel had grown tired of standing up and sat on the ground with her back against the wall. She was offered a seat but politely turned it down as she was too weak to get back up, both Dis and Tauriel had noticed how unwell she was and both moved closer towards her to give make her feel protected from her she has been through.

Her olive skin was now a sickly shade of pale and her muscles were limp but she still managed to maintain her focus and watched as her mother and grandmother made idly chatter.

"I wondered why Kili never married and started a family after all these years. Even though you are an elf I can see myself accepting you and this young girl. For Kili's sake. I am not as close minded as my brother but I do not understand what inspired my youngest to have a relationship with elf."

"Thank you. It was a brief moment of intimacy which neither of us understand but my heart chose him and I lived in grief and heartache for 60 years, I could of died but I chose not to because there was a part of me that held onto life, that believed he was always alive."

"I know the situation all too well. I think Kili strongly believed you had died but he always kept you in mind whenever he wanted to be courted." Dis decided to be personal with the elf" Their father will always been alive to me, he lives in my boys and it does not matter what anyone else believes as long as I see it."

They were slightly bonding but it would take a long time for everyone to adjust to the new Durin additions. A knock on the door stopped everyone's conversation and all eyes were on the door waiting for the expected black hair prince to walk through.

Kili had walked in with his nephew Hain in tow, Kili had stopped dead in his tracks as he looked around and saw Tauriel standing by the girl that claimed to be his heir. Hain walking behind had not taken notice of the sudden halt and slammed right into his uncle. Kili being too focused on the elf maiden did not flinched. Hain looked around and saw the girl that had occupied the now empty cell.

"Uncle that's the prisoner, we have to tell Brand. Uncle?" Hain spoke frantically

"Shut up Hain, she is no prisoner but our cousin." Dina yelled at her brother making him the most confused individual in the room. "What have I missed?"

"Tauriel. Please tell me this is not a dream." Kili did not give his attention to anyone else in the room but only to the woman he loved.

"It is not a dream my love." In that spilt second everyone had forgotten about Eliel and had fixated on the reunion of the peculiar couple. Tauriel had walked closer and got on her knees in front of him so she was almost the same height. Kili reached out to touch her to confirm that it was not an illusion like the many he had before. "Have you ever had a dream so heartbreakingly beautiful that it was pure agony to wake up?"

"Every night for the past 60 years." Tauriel admitted and pulled him into a devoted hold. Kili pulled away "Armalime, I've missed you." And kissed her hard as if it was his last, he was not shy and ran his rugged hands through her long hair pulling her tightly against his chest. They broke apart and stared at each other like no one else was in the room smiles took over their faces. Tauriel was afraid that their brief moment was not enough for him to love her and pine for her so many years but the she was obviously wrong. He loved her and she loved him and they were finally reunited after years of anguish and denial.

Eliel had watched the tender moment between the elf and the dwarf, she was pleased that they had found their way back to each other and that she had found them. Her journey was not a complete waste of time and Sonir was right that Eliel would not forgot this. Eliel praised her mother for suggesting this incredible journey she would have missed out on so many experiences. The adventures and experiences as well as Sonir replayed through the dwelf's mind as she slipped into darkness.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter XXIX

13th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

"Eliel? Eliel?"

The affectionate mood was dropped as soon as Dis noticed her unconscious granddaughter slumped against the wall. Tauriel tore focus from Kili and onto her daughter, she crouched down beside her and tried to find her heartbeat.

"She is still alive she just lost consciousness. We have to put her into bed, this is probably caused from exhaustion and who knows what else." Tauriel was calm but underneath she had panicked. Fili taking charge of the situation declared she would go into a spare bedroom that was situated up in the left corridor.

"So it is true then, she is my- our daughter?" Kili had asked anyone in particular but kept his eyes on Tauriel.

"Yes" Tauriel had answered trying to pick up Eliel. Gandalf saw the young elf struggled so he went over and helped put the young girl in her mother's arm since everyone else in the room was too tiny. "Which way to the room?"

"I'll show you." Kili spoke deciding to finally help. He lead the way slowly making sure Tauriel did not exert herself too much carrying the dwelf in bridal style. They walked in an awkward silence not knowing what to say to each other, what to talk about. Their reunion had been sweet because it was irrational and sudden and now they had to think about what they were going to do, if they were going to be together or accepted at that. Kili opened the door and prepared the bed quickly so Tauriel could relieve herself of the girl. She placed Eliel in the bed and removed her boots and anything else restricting her body which only left Eliel in her filthy tunic and pants. Tauriel stood away and examined the damages on her body, deep bruises were all over her body which made her entire torso seem a whole new colour, and her wrists covered in dry blood and cut flesh from what looked to be from shackles. Several pink scars were obviously new, a deep scar on her left hand as well as the scar on her face which would disappear over time. New gashes and burns were added as if they had only happened the previous day. Seeing her daughter this way made Tauriel feel guilty and irritated not only at herself but anyone who caused this. "What do you think happened to her?" Tauriel looked at Kili who was at the foot of the bed also staring at her with a blank expression. "The scars look to new to be caused at Dale but to my knowledge she may have been tortured." Kili spoke softly looking down

"Tortured?"

"She did not tell you how we met did she?" Kili was guilt-ridden, his daughter was in the cell getting tortured for 3 days by the orders of extended family. "If I knew she was my daughter I would have tried to stop it. But I arrived too late and the extent of her suffering was already under way."

Tauriel was shocked into place but waited until he finished his story to make any judgments towards him. It was not his fault at all.

"I left for Dale yesterday morning to discuss business with Brand, the grandson of Bard the Bowman. Hain told me of an arrest made several days earlier for trespassing and he told me they were reading about the battle of the five armies and of you. I was curious naturally but did not act on it. I made my way down to the dungeons to speak with Brand of course and I had saw her chained to the wall, all I could smell was blood and burnt flesh but just thought she was another criminal. They were torturing her because they thought she was a spy. They were reading out the belongings of the prisoner and she had my rune stone, the one my mother gave to me and the one I had given to you. I confronted her but she was too weak and I left her there and took my rune stone back. It was not until I was walking the next morning that I had run into her, she had escaped somehow and I was about to kill her until she told me you were her mother and I was her father. I told her to go to come here and speak with my brother, not knowing everyone including you was waiting for her or me. She will hate me and I do not blame her." Kili had finally realized after telling his story, how cruel he was to her and how merciless he had let other be towards her. The feelings overwhelmed him and he wanted to cry but could not due to all the other feelings he was experiencing.

Tauriel understood what he was feeling and walked over to where he collapsed on the lounge she sat beside him and grabbed his hand in his lap. "I let her get stolen away from me and I did not question it, I lived feeling like I killed her she will hate me too but we shall share the guilt and let her make her own decisions about us."

"A voice of reason."

"Hardly. I cannot imagine what we will do now and I do not like not knowing." They sat in silence, not knowing which one was going to make the first move for suggesting what was next because they both did not know. Kili got up and covered Eliel under the thin blanket and sat across from Tauriel on a wooden chair.

"I fell in love with the way you looked at me with those eyes I was trapped swept away into a fever dream. Your stare made me feel wanted, you looked at me with purpose and worth, that stare gave me everything I wanted and did not know. I consummated that feeling that night after you healed me, I knew I loved you after that truly. It might have been reckless and impulsive but that's just who I am."

"Kili. You speak as if this is going to be easy, as if the past 60 years did not happen. It was reckless and impulsive but I do not regret it"

"I did not say this was going to be easy Tauriel, but if you stay with me. If-. I just realized I do not know my daughter's name."

"Her name is Eliel. A name I chose for her."

"Tauriel, if you and Eliel just love me and stay with me here we can make us worth it. Prove to everyone that this is not wrong and-"

"Kili. Stop." Tauriel had cut Kili's declaration short she walked over to him and kissed his forehead. "Do not try to persuade me as there is nothing you can persuade me on. I will love you endlessly and I am yours and you are mine and Eliel is ours."

"Once you were a women who walked with the stars every night and now I have you, I do not want to lose you again."

"You will not. Someday we will make sense but right now in this moment, forget everything and focus on us. Come let's leave her to rest and I guess tell everyone of what we are."

"And what are we?"

She smiled at him and took his hand. "Together until the stars fall out of the sky."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter XXX

14th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

The first thing Eliel had felt when she woke up was how someone had bandaged her wrists and treated her open wounds and burns. The second thing was the fire roaring in the hearth and several simple dwarven dresses laid out for her. Her head was still spinning but nothing a meal could not fix. She stumbled out of bed and she felt her ankles go weak when she put all her weight on them and walked towards the mirror. Eliel had definitely looked better, her eyes were a deep shade of purple and green as well as little cuts around her face from where the hits split her skin.

Eliel had suddenly realized where she was and what had happened. She had found her parents and not only that she found an extended family, the last thing she remembered whys Kili and Tauriel embracing and she hoped it was not a dream. Eliel went back to studying her face and body and wish her wounds would go away, if she were to speak to anyone she was sure that all they would look at were her injuries. Outside the room she could hear people talking and cutlery against ceramic and assumed it was dinner. She let out her hair and the brunette ringlets fell down her back, the hair around her face was matted with blood and natural oils and Eliel braided it to make it seem somewhat presentable. She picked up one of the dresses that were laid out, she had not put on a dress in so long and she had missed it mainly because it was not as restricting as her pants. Eliel picked up the most thin but still preserved gown there was, the kirtle was a deep blue with undersleeves that concealed her arms and covered up the neck then the surcoat was a pale yellow chiffon which flowed behind her. She looked elegant almost like a princess which was possible because she assumed the dress belonged to her now cousins. She slipped on her boots and decided she should find someone that could led her to food.

Eliel walked out of the wooden door and saw a corridor to her left and a balcony straight ahead where the sound of chatter and the smell of meats and vegetables came from. She slowly walked forward and looked down to see her family and especially her mother and father all eating and laughing. The king sat at the head while her father sat to his right and her mother right beside him. On the other side was her dwarf who had spoken to her and looked after her, also at the table was Gandalf who sat next to Tauriel and the hobbit which took his place next to the silent old Dwarf who sort of scared her, she remembered him as Thorin, uncle to her father. The princesses sat next to Bilbo and the arrogant prince who got her arrested in the first place was next to Gandalf. She was glad no one had spotted her because she just wanted to observe them and just see how they were and what kind of family they could be. The way she had been treated so far in Erebor, Eliel was glad she escaped if only she had never be stolen away in the first place.

She turned around and decided to join them if they would have her, she made her way down the stairs and reached the opening. Eliel was nervous, this would be the first proper time where she was not in danger or almost dead that she would meet her family. She was stood next to a pillar which sort of kept her out of sight that was until Fili had spotted her and whispered her presence into Kili's ear. As soon as he spotted her everyone had stopped conversation and stared at her, this was exactly what she was trying to avoid. Tauriel stood up first followed by Kili who gestured her to come towards the table, Eliel took a deep breath and held her head high, she walked towards the table.

Gandalf had moved his meal and gave his seat to the young dwelf before she could have denied it. Tauriel held out her hand and Eliel was hesitate to take it as she would have to sit next to the prince but she did anyway for the sake of her mother. Kili waited until both women had taken their seats again and an awkward silence had taken over the table until Dis spoke.

"Look lass, we are nothing to be afraid of all this is new to everyone. So grab a plate and any food you want do not hesitate. You look like you have not eaten in some time, when was the last time you had a proper meal anyway?"

Eliel thought hard and remembered it was when she last saw Ahnissi's family. "Almost a week ago." Eliel mumbled "I have some friends in Dale which I would like to go back and see actually."

"You cannot go back to Dale until your name is cleared." Kili spoke "We will do that tomorrow."

"I doubt uncle Bain will let that happen." Hain finally spoke up

"Hain, that's enough." Fili ordered.

"No father, this girl is a criminal and she trespassed and read the personal archives. Then all of a sudden she shows up and tells all of you that she is your long lost daughter, niece and cousin? I do not believe her for one second and if you all believe her I have serious doubt in this family."

"Hain, I said that is enough. Where is your loyalty?" Fili yelled and the argument was the only thing that occupied the table.

"I am just saying she should tell us her story." Eliel was silent and kept her had down during the argument that was until she got so riled up by the demand of her story. "I told you my story and I kept telling the same story when your uncles guards were splitting my skin open and burning my flesh. I will tell that same story right now and if you find one fault I swear I will leave and turn myself in and you will never see me again." No one was expecting the angry outburst from Eliel, it even stunned Thorin and everyone had solemn looks and stopped eating all together.

"My name is Eliel Nirn. I was born 60 years ago, the 18th of Ivanneth to be exact. My mother's name was Sonir and her grandmother's name was Rayya. They studied apothecary in Lake Town and did not want to make the journey to Dale after the dragon attacked. They had run into some orcs where they were saved by Legolas Greenleaf, in return Rayya said they would help Tauriel who was unconscious travelling with him because she had been banished. When I was born Rayya saw that I was not a full blooded elf and now I think she knew I was part dwarf. So she hid me in a tree with the rune stone until Tauriel moved to Rivendell and she took me and raised me and her granddaughter Sonir in Pelargir in Gondor."

"She is telling the truth. What this young girl just said has something only Legolas and I knew about, I was told that Eliel had died during childbirth and so I moved away from all the pain to Rivendell." Tauriel had vouched for Eliel as her story was as if she had been there.

"Well what happened next?" Dina had finally spoken up curious towards the young girl and how she had grown up.

"Well I had aged rather slowly and Sonir who was ten years older than me reached the age where she could be my mother raised me as her own. I had a somewhat normal childhood but I had always wondered why I did not age the same way as everyone else. When I was about 28 years old Sonir had told me that she was not my real mother and that my real mother was an elf and she had abandoned me because I reminded her too much of my father." Eliel saw Tauriel shake her head out of the corner of her eye and Kili taking her hand.

"I went on believing that my parents did not want me and I learn to live with that because why cry over something that would not cry over you. I was happy with my life and I did not think of how it could have been different. That was until Sonir started to get really sick, she ended up passing away about five months but before she died she told me the true story of who I was. She told me how I was stolen away because her grandmother believed that Tauriel would not love me, she always told me that my father had died because that was what she was told by my mother. Sonir did not want me to stay in Pelargir but to go out and find information on my birth parents and she suggested I came up to Dale and read the archives not knowing they were off limits. I decided to do it and left not long after."

Everyone was now so intently listening to her story that they wanted her to continue. Hain had given up trying to persuade people she was not who she said she was because he himself slowly believed the story. Gandalf, Thorin, Kili and Dis stopped eating and decided to smoke a pipe while focusing on the rest of her story.

Eliel continued her story and how she travelled to Minas Tirith and to Argonath then how she meet Ahnissi and joined their adventure to Dale She sadly retold the story of Daeroch and the orcs and then how Gandalf told her of Kili being still alive.

"I knocked him out of the way and made my way up the stairs until Hain grabbed me and got me throw out on the streets. I made an impulsive decision of waiting until night fall and break in hoping I wouldn't be caught. I managed to read several books before falling asleep and being arrested the next morning. They did not believe my story and tortured me for the real answer over many days, I managed to escape and then Kili told me to come here and I suppose everyone knows the rest."

"So you have been on quite the journey?" A question that surprised her not because of what was asked but by who asked it. Thorin sat there with his eyebrows raised waiting for the journey.

"Yes I have."

"Well I can think I can say I speak for everyone one at this table when I say welcome home." He bowed his head with acceptance as everyone murmured in acceptance. Eliel was shocked and thrilled at the same time. Not only was she accepted by one who she never thought would accept her but it sounded as if she had a place to live out her life.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter XXXI

15th Narabeleth 3002 T.A

The journey to Dale was quiet. Fili had decided to come and make it a matter between kings, behind him was Kili and Tauriel lost in conversation with each other and Eliel behind them observing how they could easily ignore her and only focus on each other. Hain was trailing Eliel basically following her every move, he believed the story but was still not as trusting as everyone else. Eliel could feel his stare in the back of her and every now and again she would turn around and glare at him just she could.

"Why do you hate me so much? If anything I should be the one to hate you the most." Eliel decided to ask.

"Do you not?"

"Well I do not hate you. I don't like you either though" By now Hain was walking beside Eliel to defend himself.

"I saw a criminal take advantage of my family, my trust in you is minimal. Let's just say you are not worth saving."

"Either way I don't see myself getting along with you because I want to."

"That makes two of us. But it is good to see my uncle happy even though that happiness did create a half breed.

"I'm sorry? Did I just hear you refer to me as a half breed? You?" Eliel had stopped in her tracks, the rest of the company had forgotten about the two young heirs and was well ahead and the conversation was out of range. "Do not be so false. Are you ashamed of your heritage that you would look down on your cousin for being exactly what you are?"

"Please you take things so out of perspective. You knew what I meant." Eliel had raised her eyebrows and walked away from him.

"Okay look I apologize. It's just that I have always been the eldest Durin in this generation. I am only 58 you know."

"So? It is not like I am in line for the throne and your human genes make you look older than me anyway?"

"Let's just call it even?"

"What is there to even?" Eliel had back chatted

"Argh, you are so so-"

"What? Stubborn? I believe that might be the dwarf coming out in me. How about we stop talking before we kill each other. Good Settled." Eliel had pushed forward so she was away from him as much as possible before she was charged with killing the future King of Erebor.

"Hurry up Eliel." Kili had yelled to her from gate to Dale. Eliel had hardly recognized it all, everything was such a blur last time she was here. There was something familiar about it but mostly it was as if she had never been here before.

"We will speak with Bain firstly. Tauriel I want you to say here with Eliel, you both can wait in the foyer while we talk business. I do not want my daughter arrested again and since she is an escapee there is a very high chance she will be."

Kili escorted them into the foyer and Tauriel kissed his on the forehead as he walked up the stairs. Eliel stood by her mother in an awkward silence casually hiding her face every time a guard would patrol nearby. It was not until Hain approached the stairs ad summoned them that her nerves jolted around her body. She followed Tauriel up and down the hallway her hand clasped in front her, nails digging into her skin. She was frightened. Scared that she was going to get thrown into that pit of misery and torture that those humans called a jail. She walked into a large room the man who commanded her torture and his son was sitting either side of an older man hunched in the throne.

"King Bain has summoned you." Tauriel bowed and stayed bowed until Eliel joined her. Eliel was frozen into place by the cold glares of older prince.

"It is customary to bow at the presence of a royal." Brand spoke but Eliel could not help herself and her hostility took over.

"It is also customary to not throw young royals into dungeons when they tell nothing but the truth."

Everyone was shocked by the rudeness and Tauriel and Kili both scolded their daughter but Eliel kept her head high and stood up for herself as she had always done.

"You are quite the spirited one aren't you?" She nodded her head

"Tauriel. I remember you. You protected by sisters and I when my father could not and you saved the life of a Prince of Erebor. You are highly respected by this family. Now for this girl who you say is your daughter is another thing entirely."

Tauriel still held her positon by Eliel's bracing herself for the worst case scenario, she was determined to make sure no harm came to her again. She held her hand to Kili and he took it recklessly, they stood together.

"I have heard your story and if it was up to my son you would be thrown back into jail but as the King I will not let that happen saying that I also cannot let you walked out of here without punishment." Tauriel squeezed Eliel's shoulder ready to make any possible move. "Since there is a treaty between the men of Dale and the mighty dwarves of Erebor I cannot charge any part of the Royal line of Durin with any crime under that treaty."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief and Eliel felt the grasp on her shoulder relax. "But you are not officially a part of the royal Durin line. Your father may be a Durin but your mother is not and I have been informed that they are not wed and you did not had an official coronation. Kili and Tauriel seeing you here I trust you and will give you just over a month for prepare, if not Eliel will be arrested for crimes against Dale and her people."

"We will accept those terms, King Bain." Fili bowed speaking for his younger brother.

Tauriel look down towards Kili and smiled, approving of the conditions they became lost in themselves again. Eliel did not know if that is what she wanted. She knew she did not want to go back to jail and she knew she wanted to know her family. But to be a royal princess of Erebor and be the Eldest Durin heir it was confusing. Everyone else seemed to want that and it would probably be for the best but she had doubt. Bain stopped with the formalities and invited everyone to join a feast as for Eliel she needed time alone and thought why not go and tell Ahnissi the news, she felt as if she was telling Sonir. She slipped away from the crowd and told a nearby maid of her plans so she would inform her parents.

She remembered the marketplace and could easily find her way back to the family from here, if they have not moved. She felt slightly relaxed and happier when she could hear the annoying sound of the performers, when she arrived Sudi was serving everyone a midday meal.

"Enough for me?" Eliel smiled

"Always. How was your business?" Sudi handed Eliel a slice of bread and cheese. She looked at the plate and wondered if she would have gotten a better meal at the Citadel but it was not the food but rather who she spent the meal with. She recounted her antics from the past few days and watched as everyone hardly touched their food as they were too into her story. "And so that is how I became the lost princess the Erebor."

Next were a lot of questions asked at the same time and a lot of fussing about by Ahnissi and apologies by leaving her with the orcs. Eliel did not care and told everyone to treat her like normal. The afternoon had passed and the sky was full of pastel pinks and oranges as the sun was preparing to set she pondered if her parents had noticed she had been gone for so long. Ahnissi had noticed her silence and questioned it. "What is troubling you?"

"I feel like I have just been thrown into this world and no one has asked what I am feeling. I am tortured by what I experienced and I do not want to live through that again and if I have to become royalty to save myself I will but it is just hard for me to think of myself as a princess when I have been through an adventure that has tested me and damaged me."

"You are tortured by self-doubt and fear and of course it would stop you from being what you are. I have not known you for very long Eliel but I would consider you one of my own but I know the kind of strong, brave, and selfless girl you are. Do not consider yourself as one of them if you do not want. As I see it you can become coroneted then go back home to Pelargir, you are a crowned royal but it does not state that you belong to one place. We must take adventures in order to figure out where we belong."

They sat in silence until Eliel broke it with her goodbyes and promises to invite them to her coronation and made her way back to the Citadel where she knew she was being waited on. When she made her way up the street she could see her cousin waiting patiently for who she assumed was her.

"Uncle had guards out looking for you, they assumed you had run away from punishment."

"What, I told the maid where I was going."

"Well she did not tell everyone I guess." Eliel pushed passed Hain and walked inside to find her mother and father pacing. A guard then went to inform the king about her.

"How could you be so foolish? Running away like that?" Eliel went to defended herself when she was interrupted by words in Khuzdul being yelled at her.

"We have lost you before Eliel do not blame us when we do not want it repeated." Tauriel was stern.

"Okay sorry, but I did tell someone where I was going, this is not my fault."

"It is and for once own up to it instead of blaming someone for your recklessness." Those words had silenced Eliel and they waited to be dismissed by Bain.

They left Dale with enough light and would be back to Erebor before it was completely dark. In the same format as when they left this morning, there was an unsettling mood amongst the company and the only thing that relaxed Kili and Tauriel was each other. Eliel was walking too slowly for Hain to tolerate and he surpassed her only a few steps ahead. Dusk had arrived earlier they were told to stay close due to rocky terrain. As they were approaching the gates of Erebor, Tauriel looked back towards Eliel and caught her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. Even with the blinding sun in her eyes a figure managed to appear in her vison. Tauriel stopped in her tracks fingers twitching, aching for her bow, the unsteady feeling grew as she continued to inspect the foreigner. Hain saw his uncle's elf standing still and followed where her eyes trailed behind them and saw a hooded figured fatally aiming at his cousin. In several swift movements it was all over, the first arrow was fired and Eliel was pushed to the ground with Hain on top, the next arrow that was shot was not from the stranger but from Tauriel who fired back so easily that it shot through the upper leg of the assassin. Fili, Kili and Tauriel ran to the outsider, assuming Hain saved Eliel, to either arrest him or kill him.

"You can get off me now." Eliel tried to push Hain off but realized his was unresponsive. "Hain? This isn't funny." She rolled from underneath him but his sturdy dwarvish body pinned the delicate half elf to the sharp rocks. That was when Eliel noticed the familiar steel arrow pierced his back and protruding out of the right side of his chest with the steel apex gently pricking her, she scream out for help, hoping he was not dead.


End file.
